The Legend of XYZ
by The Last Greninja
Summary: An alternate ending to the XYZ anime. As the Kalos League comes to a close, Ash and his friends are caught up in the middle of a crucial battle that could change the Kalos region forever. Along the way Ash meets friends both new and old, and finally succeeds in fulfilling his dream of becoming a Pokemon Master. Amourshipping and smart Ash. Updates Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
1. The Finals

Pika—CHUUUUU! Pikachu cried as it released its stored up energy into a deadly thunderbolt. Charizard winced in pain from the super effective attack. Pikachu's attack ended, leaving Charizard on his knees.  
"CHARIZARDDD!" the flame Pokémon roared.

"And Pikachu manages to land a solid hit on Alain's Charizard!" the announcer shouted.

"All right buddy, we're on a roll!" Ash shouted excitedly to his partner Pokémon.

"Pi Pikachu!" Pikachu exclaimed pumping its fist.

"Charizard get up! Don't give in!" Alain said with worry in his tone.

"CHARIZARD!" Alain's partner Pokémon shouted with confidence, reassuring his trainer he was all right.

"All right Charizard use Blast Burn!"

Charizard flew high in the air before slamming his fist into the ground, causing flames to erupt before him and straight towards Pikachu.

"Pikachu use quick attack to evade and then use Iron Tail!"

Pikachu bolted quickly around the flames that were spewing out around him before leaping high in the air with his tail glowing white.

"PIKACHUUUU!"

"Dragon claw!"

Charizard's Claws glowed a turquoise hue before he slammed them into Pikachu's chest.  
"Pikachu!" Ash called out.

"Pikachu is unable to battle; the winner is Charizard!" the referee announced.

The crowd applauded heavily, both for Charizard as well as Pikachu's brave attempt. He had already taken down Alain's Metagross and Tyranitar, and Ash was extremely proud of the little electric mouse.

"You did great out there buddy. Take a good rest," Ash said before setting Pikachu on the ground next to him.

"Great job Charizard, but now return. I'm going to need you in the final battle," Alain told his Pokémon before returning it. "Go Bisharp!" A large metallic humanoid Pokémon appeared in front of him.  
"BISHARPPP!" The dark/steel Pokémon cried.

"All of Alain's Pokémon are on par with Ash! I wonder how he's going to handle Bisharp," stated Clemont. Ash's three friends from Kalos watched from the sidelines, hoping that somehow Ash could make a comeback.

"Clemont you've gotta believe in Ash and his Pokémon!" said Bonnie. "The way you're putting it, it looks like he doesn't stand a chance!"

"Ash has pulled through in every battle we've seen him in. He's come so far; He's going to win this thing! I believe in him," Serena said confidently while clutching the ribbon Ash had given to her, which was one of her most prized possessions.

"I believe in him too!" said Bonnie with a smile. "There's no way he's going to lose!"

Clemont adjusted his glasses and stared at the battlefield that was before him. Beads of sweat started to form on his face. "We're not out of the woods yet," he stated worriedly.

* * *

"All right, Go Goodra!"

"Gooodra"

"Let's do this buddy. Use Dragon Pulse!"

Goodra arched his head back before opening his mouth, allowing a purple beam of energy to spew out. As the beam approached its target, the beam appeared to morph into the form of a dragon, heading straight for Bisharp.

"Block it with Night Slash!"

A shadowy light engulfed Bisharp's hands/blades as it rushed right for the Dragon Pulse. As it approached the beam of energy, it brought its arms in front of it, effectively cutting a path through the Dragon Pulse as it continued with its assault.

"Goodra use Ice Beam and aim for its feet!"

As Goodra prepared to fire off the powerful attack, Alain commanded Bisharp to jump and continue using night slash.

"Goodra get ready!"

Unfortunately, the Ice Beam Goodra released caused an explosion which reduced the visibility, but Bisharp could sense where Goodra was. As the smoke cleared, Bisharp closed the gap between them and unleashed its attack.

"Now!" Ash shouted.

"GOOODRA!"

Goodra grabbed Bisharp and swung him into the ground. Bisharp cried out in pain, but it recovered quickly and awaited its next order.

"Bisharp use Iron Head!"

Bisharp rushed toward Goodra, with its head glowing white, and forcefully head-butted Goodra in the chest. Goodra was pushed back a few feet, but resisted the attack fairly well.

"Use Bide!"

"Wrap this up Bisharp with Guillotine!"

"Get ready Goodra!"

Bisharp rushed toward its opponent and formed an X with its arms, ready to end the battle. Goodra prepared for the attack by protecting its neck; a hit there would result in an instant KO.

"Bisharrrrrrp!" The blade Pokémon made a direct hit; however, the attack was not a KO. Goodra stood up and released its Bide attack.

"Let 'em have it!"

Goodra scored a direct hit on Bisharp, sending it flying.

"Bisharp, use the environment to your advantage! Propel yourself forward with the rocks!"

Bisharp rebounded quickly off the rocks encircling the arena, successfully confusing Goodra.

"Guillotine!"

"GOODRA!" Ash cried out in worry. Too late. Goodra now lay slumped on the ground, knocked out by the fatal attack.

"Goodra is unable to battle; the winner is Bisharp!" the referee announced.

"Great job buddy; I'm proud of you. You deserve a good rest." Ash said before recalling it back to its poke ball.

"All right Greninja, I choose you!"

"Ninja." Ash's Greninja was the strongest Pokémon of his Kalos team, and was known for its special transformation into a powered-up version of Greninja, dubbed Ash-Greninja by Bonnie because of its apparent resemblance to Ash in its alternate form.

"Goodra lost…" Bonnie stated sadly.

"Nenene," Dedenne said softly. It had grown fond of the Dragon type since meeting it when it was a Goomy, and was saddened by its defeat.

"Ash is down to his last Pokémon. He has to be careful now," Clemont said.

" _Ash, I believe in you. You've trained so hard for this, and I know you can do it. Please, be careful out there,_ " Serena said in her mind while clutching her ribbon tighter than ever.

"Ready Greninja?"

"Ninja"

"All right finish this with one hit! Water Shuriken!"

Greninja quickly created two throwing stars before merging them into one and hurling them at the severely injured Bisharp.  
"BISHHAAARRP!" It cried was it was knocked back into a nearby rock. As the dust cleared, Bisharp slumped down off the rock and onto the ground.

"Bisharp is unable to battle, the winner is Greninja!"

"You did great out there Bisharp. Get a good rest," Alain said while recalling the fainted Pokémon.

"They're each down to their last Pokémon. Ash has never defeated Alain's Charizard, so the odds seem stacked against him," said Clemont slowly.

"Cheer up Clemont. Ash needs the really needs the support this time. GO ASH-GRENINJA!" shouted Bonnie

"Denene!"

" _Ash, Greninja, please be careful,_ " Serena whispered softly.

"It all comes down to this. Ready Greninja?"

"Greninja," Greninja said before closing its webbed hand into a fist. It would win this time.

Alain took out his final Pokémon, throwing it high into the air.

"Go! Charizard!"


	2. A Test of Strength

"Go! Charizard!"

Alain's strongest Pokémon appeared in a flash of light and flew high into the sky, before landing in front of Greninja and letting out a massive roar.

" _Boy, Alain isn't kidding. This isn't going to be easy for us, but we're going to give it everything we got. We're not going to lose this time!"_ Ash thought before turning his cap backwards and pumping his fist. Greninja was eager to settle the score with Charizard, and it struck an intimidating pose it had learned, a habit it may have adopted from Hawlucha.

 _"_ _All right, I think we can wrap this up quickly Charizard, but Ash has grown much stronger since the last time we battled. He finally mastered the power of his Greninja, and hopefully we can witness that same Water Shuriken he used on Sawyer's Mega Sceptile. Now is definitely not the time to take Ash lightly,"_ Alain thought to himself.

"Ready to settle the score Alain?" Ash shouted out from the far side of the battlefield.

"I'm ready to settle this Ash, but on my terms," Alain calmly stated.

"Battle begin!"

"Charizard use flamethrower!"

Flames started to form in Charizard's mouth as it flew swiftly towards Greninja. "CHARIZARDDDD!" it roared. As it got closer, it channeled all its stored up energy and released it all at once at its target.

"Greninja, jump out of the way, then use Water Shuriken!"

Greninja readied itself before pushing off the ground and into the air. Once out of harm's way Greninja formed two throwing stars quickly and merged them into an eight-pointed shuriken. It then hurled the shuriken right at Charizard.

"Counter with Dragon Claw!"

Swiftly, Charizard flew towards the Water Shuriken and slashed at the rapidly advancing projectile. The Water Shuriken dissipated, and a small explosion took place afterwards.  
" _Gotcha,"_ Ash thought.

"Use Ice Punch on its wings!"

Greninja rushed through the smoke, its fist glowing white, and leaped towards Charizard. Charizard couldn't see through the heavy smoke, and when it cleared, it could only look in shock as Greninja's fist collided with its left wing. Charizard growled in pain, before realizing that its wing was frozen. Alain seemed taken aback, while Ash simply smirked.

* * *

"Ash has a huge advantage over Alain at the moment. Greninja's typing is super effective on Charizard, and on top of that, Ash managed to slow Charizard down while also preventing it to fly!" Clemont explained to his friends.

"He never ceases to amaze, doesn't he Bonnie?" Serena said while watching in admiration.

"Yeah, but why isn't Alain Mega Evolving Charizard?" Bonnie asked Clemont.

"I don't know right now Bonnie. Maybe he's waiting for Ash to synchronize with Greninja."

Clemont was also confused. Usually the first thing Alain did was to Mega Evolve Charizard. So why wasn't he Mega Evolving Charizard when it really mattered? " _Be careful Ash,_ " Clemont said under his breath.

* * *

"Greninja, use Cut!"

"Counter with Thunder Punch!"

The two starter Pokémon rushed towards each other. As they got closer, Greninja pulled out a blade of light from his side. On the other side, Charizard's fists grew a bright yellow and crackled with electricity. The two Pokémon attacked, with Greninja successfully blocking the super effective attack. Charizard, however, used its other fist to punch Greninja upward. Stunned, Greninja flew high into the air, clearly hurt from the direct hit.

"We're not done yet. Charizard use Dragon Claw!"

"Counter with Cut!"

Greninja pulled out its blade of light again and brought it down, aiming for Charizard's stomach. Charizard's claws glowed turquoise and successfully parried Greninja's Cut.

"Don't give in! Use Cut again!"

Greninja landed and quickly brought the blade upward, hitting Charizard in its gut. "CHARIZARDDD!" it roared as it reeled backwards.

"Finish with Water Shuriken!"

"Brace yourself Charizard. Remember our plan," Alain calmly stated.

Greninja took out two shurikens and once again merged them into a single, more powerful throwing star.

"NINJAAA!"

A huge explosion was caused by the Shuriken, but as the smoke cleared, Ash looked in horror as now Charizard's whole body glowed a bright red. On top of that, the ice that froze its wing melted, allowing Charizard to fly once again.

"What happened Clemont?" Serena asked with worry in her voice.

"So that's why Charizard didn't Mega-Evolve…." Clemont said as a switch clicked in his head. "He used Charizard's ability Blaze to melt the ice!"

"Can't you do that in Mega Evolution bro?" Bonnie asked.

"Mega Charizard's ability is Tough Claws, which boosts Charizard's Dragon Claw. I'm not sure about Thunder Punch though, but if it's also affected by Tough Claws Ash is in big trouble," Clemont said.

Upon hearing this, Serena reached for her ribbon and clutched it, before looking on in confidence.

"Ash will pull through. I just know it!"

* * *

"Uh oh, its wing thawed out! _Time for plan B_. Ready Greninja!"

"Grenin."

"Let's get stronger together! Stronger, Stronger, STRONGER!"

"NINJAAAAAA!"

Greninja was engulfed in a raging torrent of water. As Greninja evolved, the water surrounding it collected into a huge Water Shuriken on its back. Greninja's appearance changed, with it having a similar look as its trainer. Alain confidently raised his hand, revealing the key stone on his wrist. Charizard smirked as Alain began to Mega-Evolve it.

"Keystone, respond to my heart. Beyond Evolution, Mega Evolve!"

Charizard roared as the transformation took place. Its whole body was now jet black, and it had blue flames coming out of its mouth. It wings became jagged, and sharp spikes appeared on either of its arms. The Mega Evolution symbol appeared before it.

"Charizard and Greninja have appeared to Mega-Evolve! It all comes down to this folks! Who will come out as the victor? Ash's mysterious Greninja? Or Alain's powerhouse of a Charizard?" the announcer said excitedly as the crowd cheered.

* * *

 **Sorry about the second cliff-hanger guys. I really appreciate all of your support though, so that's why I decided to create this chapter and publish it before Friday. Constructive Criticism and future ideas for other stories are appreciated, so R &R. Thank you so much guys! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you guys on Friday.**


	3. Don't Give Up Till It's Over!

_At last, the Kalos League has reached its peak. The two finalists, Ash Ketchum and Alain were each down to their final Pokémon. On Ash's team was his Greninja, his first Kalos Pokémon, as well as his trump card in battles due to his mysterious transformation. During the transformation, it gained immense power and speed boosts, as well as a powered up version of its signature Water Shuriken. Ash had finally managed to master the transformation during his time of depression after losing to Wulfric, and he now fully relied on Greninja to pull through tough battles. Alain's final Pokémon was his Charizard, who was known by all to be the one who took down ten Mega-Evolved Pokémon. During his time at the Kalos league, Alain only had to use Charizard and Metagross. Now he was here in the finals facing his rival Ash in the greatest battle of his journey._

"Mega Charizard, use Dragon Claw!"

"Greninja, use your Water Shuriken to block!"

The two Pokémon obediently followed their trainer's orders and attacked. Alain, filled with determination, looked like he was in a rage as he commanded the next attack.

"Blast Burn!"

"You know what to do Greninja," Ash said with confidence, putting all trust into his friend.

"Ninja!"

Using what was left of the battered up Water Shuriken, Greninja slammed the throwing star into the ground and leaped on top of it, using it to gain altitude. Both Charizard and Alain were stunned as Charizard's most powerful attack missed by a longshot. Greninja used the smoke to land a solid Cut attack on its opponent. Charizard flew backwards and stooped to catch its breath. It had used a lot of its energy in using Blast Burn, and was now exhausted.

"All right, keep up the pressure Greninja! Ice Punch!"

"Charizard fly out of the way!"

" _Let's try something Greninja,"_ Ash spoke telepathically to his Pokémon. Greninja stood there, ready for Ash to give the order.

"Use your tongue to grab Charizard's leg. Then use Ice Punch!"

Greninja unwrapped its tongue and launched it towards Charizard's leg. Charizard looked down and saw Greninja quickly advancing towards it. Alain looked on in horror as Greninja hit it in the gut with a super effective Ice Punch.

"Charizardddd…," Charizard muttered as it fell towards the ground.

"Thunder Punch Charizard," Alain said shakily.

"Greninja look out!"

It was too late. Greninja took a super effective hit from Charizard, and it lost the offensive momentum that it needed. Ash was taken aback, giving Alain another opening.

"Blast Burn again!" Alain shouted. " _You won't escape this time."_

Charizard unleashed whatever energy was left in it and channeled it into the deadly attack. Greninja dodged most of the erupting flames, but was consequently burned by the attack. Greninja winced in pain from its burn, and looked back towards its trainer for a command. When it received none, Greninja attempted to read Ash's feelings. What it saw showed it why Ash was so adamant on winning.

"Infernape _, Mach Punch!" A younger version of Ash was portrayed as Greninja continued to try to reach out to Ash. "Use Dark Pulse," his opponent said without a hint of emotion in his voice. In front of him was a Darkrai, who defeated every opponent in the Sinnoh league without breaking a sweat.  
"Infernape NO!"_

 _The scene shifted to the Ketchum residence in Pallet Town._

 _"_ _Mom, I'm going to the Kalos region! I'll catch super strong Pokémon, and together we'll win the entire Pokémon League! Just you wait and see!"_

 _The image of his mother was interrupted by a ravaging snowstorm. Greninja knew that this must have been where Ash was when he lost to Wulfric. "If you want that badge so badly, you should've practiced harder boy!" All of a sudden, Ash's friends appeared to flash through his mind. They all appeared to say something inaudible. Until it came to the last person._

 _"_ _Don't give up till it's over!" She said with a smile._

Greninja and Ash's eyes shot open. They were both filled with determination; they both understood now how much this battle meant to them.

"Greninja, WATER SHURIKEN!"

"GRENIN-JAAAA!"

The Shuriken on its back grew in size, and as Greninja took it off its back and raised it high into the air a swirling mass of water suddenly engulfed its body. It then glowed a golden hue, and the water surrounding Greninja collected into a massive golden Water Shuriken above its head. Greninja fiercely glared at Charizard, before it flung the enormous projectile at it. Charizard was weakened from taking the combined damage of Pikachu and Greninja and faltered when Alain frantically ordered it to use Blast Burn one more time. A massive explosion erupted from the stadium. The crowd grew silent. Professor Sycamore stood up along with Diantha. They both were eager to see the victor of the Kalos League. Clemont looked away, while Bonnie and Serena stood up, both with worry etched on their faces.

The smoke cleared, revealing the two Pokémon. Greninja was on its knees, while Charizard was panting heavily. Then Charizard drooped its head, slouched and fell to the ground. The light from its Mega Stone faltered, and a bright light surrounded the Flame Pokémon. The light then left it, and it reverted back to its original form.

"Charizard is unable to battle, therefore the winner is Greninja. That means that the victor of this year's Kalos League is Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town!" The audience erupted with cheers and loud applause.

Ash looked up to the sky. He had done it. He finally had won a Pokémon league! He released the other Pokémon who had helped him accomplish his dream. Tired and beaten, the four Kalosian Pokémon looked towards the big screen.  
"We did it guys! WE WON!" Ash said happily. His Pokémon all cheered, and Pikachu jumped onto Ash's shoulder and pumped its fist. "Pi Pikachu!" it cried out in joy.

Meanwhile Ash's three friends rushed from the stands towards him. Bonnie ran to Ash and gave him a hug. "Congratulations Ash!" she said happily.

"Thanks Bonnie, but you should really thank my Pokémon. They're the ones who helped me do this," Ash said as he looked at his team with pride.

"I disagree Ash. It was you who helped your Pokémon grow and learn, and it finally paid off. You helped them overcome their weaknesses. They wouldn't be where they are today if they hadn't met you Ash," Clemont said. Ash stood there and sheepishly scratched his neck, clearly embarrassed by Clemont's words. Bonnie and Clemont then moved to the side, revealing the last of his companions. _His girlfriend._ Serena wasted no time in tackling Ash into a warm embrace, before saying softly, "Congratulations Ash!" Ash returned the embrace before gently kissing her forehead. "You really helped me out back there," he said. Serena beamed. Alain, meanwhile, had walked over to Ash's side of the battlefield and outstretched his hand. Ash broke Serena's embrace and turned to Alain.  
"That was a great battle, Ash. I gave it my all, and I have no regrets. You taught me that there is more to battling than raw power, and I thank you for that," Alain said sincerely.

"What a great way to end the Kalos League, Alain. I wasn't sure if Greninja could handle that final attack! Now we're even, but I'll keep getting stronger so we can see how much we improved when we battle next time!" Ash said, excited at the chance to battle Alain again. Alain simply smiled and nodded. The raven-haired teenager was sometimes too eager to battle.

The two released each other from their handshake, and the crowd cheered for both trainers.

* * *

"Do you have the specimens Xerosic?" Lysandre asked from his holocaster.

"We have both specimens here sir," Xerosic responded, "The mischievous one will certainly help our cause greatly! What shall we do with the two meddling kids though? They certainly are a handful."

"We can use them both as bait for the boy with the Greninja. That way _He_ will come to _us._ Are the weapons operational?"

"Yes sir. The weapons have been tested and are ready to fire when you give the command."

"Good. _Very_ good."

* * *

 **There you have it guys. The Kalos League has ended, but Team Flare is wasting no time preparing for their next move. Who do you think the people kidnapped by Team Flare are and how are they related to Ash and his friends? Let me know in a PM! If you would like to see certain legendary Pokémon appear in this story let me know, because I am debating and would like some advice. As always, constructive criticism is appreciated. I'll see you next time guys! Btw, did any of you cry when Greninja left the anime? I know I did. He was one of the reasons I watched XYZ, along with amourshipping.**


	4. The Calm Before the Storm

_As the Kalos League comes to an end, Ash and his friends decide to take a rest before attending the awards ceremony later in the night. As Serena decides on practicing her performance routines, Ash decides to catch a very special Pokémon as a way of saying thanks. Meanwhile, in Lysandre Labs, the two captured Pokémon, Hoopa and Z2 attempt to reach out to their comrades. The cry for help reaches Squishy, causing him to be distraught._

"Z1, can you hear me?" Z2 called out to its brother. "Z1? Answer me please!" "If you can hear me, you need to act fast. Team Flare intends to wipe the world of humans and Pokémon in order to create a new world where they can be happy. The other Pokémon they caught, Hoopa, is currently under their control. They plan to force it to use its rings to summon legendary Pokémon to help their cause. Head to the Winding Woods and look for the Legendary Pokémon Xerneas. She is vital to our mission if we are to win this now inevitable battle. Z1, respond to me please!"

"Oi what do you think you're doing?" A Team Flare admin said. Z2 was caught. The admin quickly ran down the hall and brought in Lysandre. "Sir, it seems the core was communicating with its counterpart Z1. Should we put it under our control so that he can't communicate anymore?"

Lysandre bent down so that he was on eye level with Z2. "You have just set our plan into motion, Z2. Your friends will come here to save you, and we can then catch your friend Z1. Surely you must understand that a Pokémon with such potential can be put to good use, right?" Z2 glared at Lysandre. "Defiant aren't we? Well, it doesn't matter. You already gave out the information we wanted you to. Now we can put you under our control." Z2 winced from the pain of mega evolution energy. Then, its eyes glazed over and its body color glowed red.  
Lysandre watched with pride in his eyes. He now had to legendary Pokémon under his control. " _I still need the prison bottle from those kids to maximize Hoopa's power"_ He then turned and left the control room. When he reached the prison cell that contained Baraz and Meray, he opened the door and walked in. "Where is the prison bottle?" he demanded.

"We will not give it to you Lysandre. That bottle was used to seal the overwhelming power of Hoopa. If you take it and release it, the power could consume you!" Baraz muttered. Lysandre clenched his fist.  
"I will say this once. If you do not give me the prison bottle, your sister will die; so let me ask again. Where is the Prison bottle?" Lysandre raised his voice. Baraz grit his teeth.

"It's in the…"

Lysandre gripped him by the neck.  
"WHERE IS IT?" He shouted, with pure rage in his voice.

"Te-Terminus C-cave," Baraz choked out weakly. Lysandre released his grip on the boy. Meray rushed over to her brother's side and helped him up. She shot an icy glare at the man.

"I appreciate your cooperation Baraz," he muttered as he walked out. Lysandre took out his holocaster.  
"Bryony, Celosia. I need you to head to Terminus Cave and retrieve the Prison Bottle from the innermost chamber."

"Affirmative Sir. We will begin the search as soon as we arrive."

* * *

Meanwhile, outside the Kalos League stadium, Squishy popped its head out from Bonnie's bag. Bonnie looked at it with confusion. "What's wrong Squishy?" Squishy responded in its inaudible dialect. Even though Bonnie didn't know what it was saying, she understood that something was wrong. She took Squishy out of her bag and began to sing her song to it. This time, however, her song didn't seem to comfort Squishy at all. Worried, she went to go find Clemont, Ash and Serena. Clemont was busy talking with Sawyer about the strategies that he used in the League, while Ash and Serena were answering some questions that their fans had for them. "Clemont, somethings bothering Squishy. He's sad about something, and I can't figure out what it is. I tried singing my song to it, but it just hid in the bag. Did I do anything to it?"  
Clemont looked puzzled. "Maybe it needs some peace and quiet or some food. I'm getting hungry as well. Ash! Serena! I think it's time we head back to the Pokémon Center.  
"Yeah we're coming Clemont!" Ash replied. As the two of them caught up to Clemont, they asked what was wrong. Clemont explained to them Squishy's problem.  
"Yeah I'm tired too, a rest sounds nice," Serena said. "What about you Ash?"

"I feel drained. Who knew that signing autographs and answering questions could be so tiring?" Ash replied.

The walk back was rather uneventful, with Clemont asking Ash what strategies he used in the final battle with Alain. Serena had slipped her hand into Ash's, and was inquiring as to how Ash had managed to have Greninja form that giant Shuriken towards the end of the fierce battle. Bonnie had somehow stolen Serena's Pokedex and was using it on every single Pokémon she saw on the way back, seemingly back to her normal self. When they reached the center, Ash crashed on his bed. Serena chuckled before tucking him in, and checked her Pokevision. Clemont unpacked his backpack and immediately set to work on his next invention/explosive. Meanwhile, Bonnie tried to ask Nurse Joy if something was wrong with Squishy.

"I'm afraid I don't know what is wrong with your Pokémon Bonnie," Nurse Joy said sadly.

Bonnie sighed before taking out Squishy to let him have some sun. She then left to take a nap. Squishy, now left alone, attempted to reach out to Z2.

"Respond Z2! What happened? I heard your voice saying to look for Xerneas. Where are you?" When it didn't get a response, it resolved to find Xerneas as soon as he could.

Ash stirred from his sleep after about an hour. He looked around the hotel room, searching to see if Serena was there. _Good. No sign of her._ "Clemont? I'm gonna go head out and train ok?"  
"Ok Ash, but make sure you come back on time. Last time we had to go find you because you got lost," Clemont replied. Ash laughed sheepishly at the memory.  
Ash quickly made his way out the door of the center, but then stopped when he saw Serena practicing her performances with Bonnie. _The other way then._ Ash grabbed a few empty Pokeballs from his bag and a fishing rod; he then left through the back door.

* * *

Serena was very busy in trying to fix her performance into something more original. In her past performances, she would always try to end it with Pancham and Braixen merging their Dark Pulse and Fire Blast attacks. Now that she had set a trend, she tried to think of something new to help her performances stand out a little more. "How about we try to teach Sylveon a new move?" Bonnie asked.

"Hmm. It says here that Sylveon is capable of learning Moonblast, so maybe we can have her use it at the end of our performance and then have Pancham use Arm Thrust to shatter it. Then Braixen could use Psychic on the falling pieces to create a wave of glitter!" Serena exclaimed. She then bent down in front of Sylveon. "What do you think, Sylveon?"

"Syl, Sylveon!"

"Ok, try to use Fairy Wind and Swift at the same time! When you use swift, though try to merge the stars into a small sphere," explained the performer.  
"Sylveon!" Sylveon attempted to do what its trainer wanted. However, she wasn't able to do the trick. After about an hour, Sylveon finally managed to do a weak Moonblast attack.  
"Great job Sylveon!" Serena encouraged the fairy type. "I think that's enough for today. Let's take a break Sylveon." After having Nurse Joy check out Sylveon, she walked into the hotel room. "Clemont? Have you seen Ash?"

Clemont looked up from his work. "He did say he was going off into the woods to do some training, but he should be back soon. He said he would be no later than 4. He should be here any minute, considering how hungry he probably is." As soon as the words left his mouth, Ash walked into the hotel room with mud on his face and a dripping wet cap.

"Hey guys. What's up?"

Serena was the first to speak. "Where have you been? We were wondering where you were."

Clemont then attempted to explain that Ash was out training with Greninja, but he was stopped by Ash. "Sorry Clemont, but I think I should clear things up for you. I wasn't going out to train." He then revealed two Pokeballs. One looked normal, but the other had very intricate engravings on it. "One of these is for Bonnie, and the other is for Serena. Let's go outside and you can see who they are." The four of them went outside and Ash handed them the Pokeballs.

"All right! Let's see what I got!" Bonnie exclaimed as she threw her Pokeball into the air. "Poliwag!" it said after it emerged. "Wow, a Poliwag! But why did you get me a Poliwag Ash?"

"Well, I guess it's because it reminds me of someone I met a long time ago." He turned to Serena, who nodded knowingly. "You see, it was a Poliwag that led me to Serena back when we were kids. That was when we first met." Ash said, reminiscing the good times of the past.  
It was then Serena's turn. She released the Pokémon, and was shocked. "Ash, where did you get this Pokémon?" Ash smirked.  
"Well, it wasn't easy. When I was looking for the Poliwag, I saw something in the water. It was very pretty, so I thought you might want to use it in your showcases. I also may have taken your tablet temporarily, and I found out you were looking for one of these," Ash explained. Serena just stood there with her mouth open. In front of her was a beautiful serpentine Pokémon; it was a Milotic. She took out her Pokedex and scanned it. _Milotic, the tender Pokémon and the evolved form of Feebas. Milotic is breathtakingly beautiful. Those that see it are said to forget their combative spirits._ Serena turned to Ash and brought him into an embrace. Ash was taken aback, but soon relaxed into the embrace. Bonnie snickered. "Thanks Ash," she said quietly.

"Thank YOU Serena. During the battle with Alain, I heard your words of encouragement. Greninja managed to draw strength the same way I do from your words, and that triggered the giant Water Shuriken." Serena's eyes widened. Had her words meant this much to him all this time? Just then, Clemont ran into the courtyard. An explosion followed shortly after. Bonnie sighed. Why did Clemont always screw up at times like this?  
"Dinners –cough- ready guys –cough cough-"Clemont said, trying to catch his breath. He wasn't used to running so fast. "It's a good thing that we're on the bottom floor of the hotel, and that I was working on the invention outside, right guys?" Clemont's friends all sweatdropped.

* * *

"And to conclude our awards ceremony, we would like to congratulate Ash Ketchum with the Kalos League Medallion! With this medal in his possession, he is now able to challenge the Elite Four. Congratulations Ash," Diantha said. She then whispered something into his ear. "I haven't forgotten our promise for a battle, either."

"Thanks Diantha. I can't wait for our rematch!" Ash exclaimed. Ash then turned to face the crowd. "I'd like to take this time to tell you that if it wasn't for my Pokémon and my friends, I wouldn't be here today. Thank you for your support guys." The crowd erupted in cheers. A spiky haired boy watched the scene from the stands. " _Ashy-boy has come a long way_ ," he thought to himself.

* * *

It was late in the night when Squishy woke up from its rest. It tried once again to reach out to its counterpart. When it got no response, it crawled out of Bonnie's bag, carefully moving pass a sleeping Dedenne. Squishy made its way out of Bonnie and Clemont's side of the hotel room and towards Ash and Serena's, where the exit was. Lucky for it, Ash was a heavy sleeper, and Serena was having a dream, so it got out of the room with ease. _You must find Xerneas Z1. She is vital to this battle if we are to win._ Once outside, Squishy called out to its cells and transformed into its 10% form. Determined to find the legendary Pokémon, it set off for the Winding Woods.

* * *

 **Ok guys, that wraps up chapter 4. I appreciate all of your support so far, but I have one request for you guys. Which legendary trio would you like to see in this story apart from the XY trio? Pm me to let me know, and the most requested trio will make it into my story. Thank you in advance. I don't know how I'm going to survive this Thursday, with the end of XYZ on the horizon. Ok, I'll see you guys on Wednesday.**


	5. The Plan Unfolds

Squishy sped through the forest, using the other cells it didn't need as eyes to see if Xerneas was in the area. After a few mintues of searching, it ran into a clearing filled with Pokémon. They all look puzzled. Squishy then explained that the Kalos region was in danger, and that it needed to speak with Xerneas. The Pokémon looked at it, then at each other. They then motioned for Squishy to follow them. It was led to a passageway that led to a gnarly, whitened tree. As he approached it, a blue light began to emanate from the inside of it. The surrounding trees, which were abnormally abundant with fruit, began to shrink back to their normal size and began to lose their fruit. The energy was collected and then transferred to the central tree. Once all of the surrounding trees shrank back to their normal size, Xerneas awoke from its slumber and appeared before Squishy.

 _"_ _Xerneas, I am Zygarde, the one who keeps the balance of the Kalos region in order. I have been dispatched by my counterpart, who is held captive by a criminal organization known as Team Flare, to go and find you. The Kalos region is in danger great one; Team Flare plans to rid the world of humans and Pokémon to establish a new world where they can be happy. I was sent here under the impression that you could help us,"_ Squishy began solemnly.

" _Ye have chosen me to spearhead this mission, Zygarde? Ye, of all Pokémon, am requesting my assistance? The Kalos region must be in great danger then. What would thou want from me?"_

 _"_ _I need you to warn the other Pokémon of the impending danger. You will also be needed to heal any wounded Pokémon from the attack Team Flare is planning. I would also request of you that Princess Diancie would come to aid us in our time of need."_

 _"_ _As you wish Zygarde. I will do what I can to protect Kalos."_

 _"_ _You're support is much appreciated, Xerneas, but we must be quick. Have one of the resident Carbink go and request the help of Princess Diancie. Should she refuse, inform her that Ash and his friends are in great danger."_

 _"_ _I will Zygarde,"_ Xerneas replied quietly. It then left of for the Pokémon village to find a suitable candidate for the important message. The chosen Carbink hurriedly made his way out of the forest to warn his comrades.

* * *

Ash was the first to wake up from his slumber. He quietly made his way downstairs and was surprised to see Professor Sycamore standing there with a smile on his face. "Good morning Ash! I have very good news for you. I'm sure you will benefit greatly from it."

"Morning Professor. What's up?" Ash asked groggily.

"Well Ash, since you are now a Kalos League Champion, you are one of the select few chosen to use our special PC system. The PC system allows you to withdraw some of your old Pokémon through new technology. This allows you to use some of your older Pokémon in battles with the Elite Four and with Diantha. As an added bonus of being the champion, you are also permitted to carry up to twelve Pokémon with you at all times! I contacted Professor Oak last night, and he already has all of your old Pokémon in the PC system. They were all given a checkup and are all ready for you to use."

Ash's eyes widened. "Technology sure is amazing; isn't it Professor? Now I can bring back some of my old buddies and we can all share a part in taking down the Elite Four!" He then made a mental note to thank Professor Oak when he could.

"All right Ash. I won't bother you anymore. You probably want to go and see your old friends, don't you? I'll be back at the lab if you need me," Sycamore said.

"Thanks Professor!"

"Don't mention it. I'll see you soon Ash!"

When Sycamore had left, Ash turned to Nurse Joy. "Excuse me Nurse Joy, but may I use the PC system? I have some friends I would like to see."

"Of course Ash."

Ash then ran over to the PC that was sitting near the back of the center. He booted up the PC and selected the six Pokémon he wanted to see the most. Then he clicked withdraw, and a cavity appeared underneath the PC. Out of it came six Pokeballs, which Ash carefully took out. He threw the Pokeballs high into the air, releasing his six best friends from the past.

* * *

(Geosenge Town, Kalos region)

Xerosic had finally recreated the weapon from the blueprints of the original model. He took a step back to admire the beautiful, yet deadly, structure. A giant flower stood in front of him. It had six enormous petals that were shaped like daggers, and in the center of it stood a large crimson crystal. The crystal contained huge amounts of Mega Evolution inside of it, and was to be shot into the air when Lysandre had given the signal. The weapon was used during the Great War for Kalos centuries, and it had now returned, in all of its deceiving beauty. Xerosic then requested an update on the other weapons that were stationed around Kalos. One by one, they gave the all clear signal. "All we need now is the approval of Lysandre," Xerosic smiled evilly. Just then, he got a message from Lysandre.

"I assume you have finished construction of the Ultimate Weapon Xerosic?"

"Yes sir. The weapon is primed and ready to fire. We are awaiting your orders."

Lysandre looked out of the window of his hotel and grinned darkly. "You may commence the attack on Lumiose City. Wait for my order for the other attacks though."

* * *

(Glittering Cave, Ambrette Town)

"Princess Diancie, I bear a message from the noble Zygarde. You are needed for battle at the Lumiose City. You are to lead your people and defend the humans and Pokémon that there during the battle. Ash and his friends are in grave danger. They need your help Princess."

Diancie glanced at her advisor. "What do you think we should do advisor?"

"I think we should join the battle. Your friends need you. The people of Lumiose City need you. The _Kalos_ region needs you." The other Carbink cheered, and Diancie stood up.

"I will go," she said, her eyes filled with determination.

* * *

 **Ok guys, I'm sorry it's a little shorter than usual, but I'll have a longer chapter on Wednesday. The six Pokemon that Ash chose are all up to you to decide; however, I'm going to limit one Pokemon per person. You can PM me one Pokemon from Ash's past journeys that you would like to see in the Team Flare arc, and the first six will be featured in Wednesday's chapter. Again, thanks for the support and advice guys. I'll see you on Wednesday.**


	6. A Conspiracy to Conquer

Ash released his six old companions from their Pokeballs. They each gave out their battle cry before running to Ash and hugging him. Ash laughed at their antics, before hugging them back. His six strongest Pokémon stood in front of him, and Ash looked in awe at how much they had grown. His Charizard, one of his first Pokémon, had become much stronger ever since it had left Ash to train in the Charific Valley. Ash then looked to his Hoenn favorite, Sceptile. It had been training as well, and it had learned several moves that Ash never knew it could learn. When Ash saw him again, he was sure that if he had used it against Sawyer's Mega Sceptile, it would win for sure. Infernape had long since mastered his ability Blaze, and now remained calm under its effects. While at the ranch, it and Sceptile often had sparring matches with each other. The outcomes were slightly in Infernape's favor, but nonetheless, Sceptile prevailed most of the time. Heracross, who met Ash all the way back in Johto, had also been training hard, and it was now the strongest of Ash's Johto friends. It was now a dangerous threat to any of its opponents, even with the odds stacked against it. Bulbasaur hadn't evolved during its time in Oak's ranch, but it remained as a secret weapon, surprising its foes with Sleep and Poison Powders. Finally Snorlax, his defensive powerhouse, had trained tirelessly, perfecting its already high endurance. The rather loud cries of his friends had woken up his sleeping friends in the process however, and the three of them were quite surprised when they saw Ash in the courtyard surrounded by Pokémon they had never seen before. They quickly changed into their normal attire and met up with him in the courtyard. The Pokémon quickly got off of Ash and stood in front of him, apparently "protecting" him.

"It's ok guys. These are my friends from Kalos. Meet Clemont, Bonnie, and Serena. Clemont is an inventor and the gym leader of Lumiose City. I would be careful around his inventions though. They're quite volatile." Ash chuckled while Clemont sighed in defeat. "Bonnie is Clemont's younger sister. She loves Pokémon of all kinds, and she can't wait till she becomes a trainer. She kind of reminds me of myself when I was a kid." Bonnie stared at Ash's Pokémon in admiration, with stars in her eyes.  
"You are soooo cuuute!" she exclaimed before tightly hugging Snorlax. Snorlax looked alarmed, but relaxed after a few seconds. "Snnnnorrrrrlax."

Clemont sweatdropped, while Ash laughed lightly. Snorlax never received such abnormal affection from an outsider, and it seemed to enjoy it. Ash then introduced Serena. "Ok, guys, you may not know this, but I met Serena before I met all of you. She was my best friend when I was a kid, and now we are travelling together as a couple! Isn't that great?" His Pokémon agreed, and it wasn't long before Bulbasaur shyly walked up to it and cried its name, as if it was introducing itself. Serena giggled. "It's nice to meet you Bulbasaur." Ash's Pokémon were confused as to what a "couple" was, but were happy nonetheless, seeing how happy Ash was to be with her. " _They just may be as dense as their trainer,"_ Serena thought.

"Anyway guys, how about you meet the team that won a Pokémon league for me?" Ash asked his Pokémon. They agreed, and Ash released his Kalos team for his older friends to see. "Guys, these are some of the friends I made when I journeyed through other regions. Meet Charizard, Sceptile, Snorlax, Heracross, Infernape, and Bulbasaur." Both teams were quick to acquaint themselves with the other, and they all became quick friends. Serena and Clemont then released their Pokémon so that the others could meet them. Bonnie went back into the room to get her bag, but when she found her bag tilted to its side and only a sleeping Dedenne in it, she immediately panicked. She rushed outside and asked her brother if he saw Squishy. "I haven't seen Squishy since last night Bonnie. Maybe Ash or Serena saw it," Clemont said, trying to cheer up his sister.

"Sorry Bonnie, but I didn't see Squishy today; maybe he was sunbathing," Ash stated.

"I didn't see him either Bonnie, but maybe he will come back for lunch," said Serena.

"Squishy… why did you leave?" Bonnie said, before a loud noise was heard by all of the city.

* * *

Xerneas and Squishy had reached the outskirts of Lumiose City. They both looked at each other before nodding and heading off in separate directions. Squishy attempted to pinpoint the location of its brother Z2, and Xerneas headed off in the direction of the Prism Tower to try to free Hoopa from its captivity.

" _I'm coming Z2. Just hang in there a little longer,"_ Squishy spoke telepathically to its brother.

* * *

"We have exposed Hoopa to the Prison Bottle sir. It is ready to be released into the city. We are awaiting your order Lysandre," a Team Flare Admin updated his boss on the progress of the experiment.

"Excellent Matt. Release it and Z2 when I have given the order."

Lysandre then took out his holocaster and contacted Xerosic. "Tell the men to ready the cannons stationed in Prism Tower."

"Yes Sir."

The Team Flare Scientists then got to their designated positions. They then charged the weapon with Mega Evolution energy and prepared to fire the cannon. A crimson hue shone out from the front of the weapon, and collected at the end of the cannon.

"Fire," Lysandre ordered.

Immediately, the weapon launched the stored up energy into the air. The beam of energy then split into several smaller ones, and each of those beams then exploded, causing little shards to it to fly in all directions. The particles then made contact with the ground. At first, nothing happened, but seconds later the whole city began to shake. Suddenly, giant plant tendrils burst out of the ground. The plant roots wasted no time in wrapping themselves onto nearby buildings, destroying all that were in them. People rushed out of the buildings, screaming in terror, while others attempted to destroy the roots with their Pokémon. It was all in vain however, and the trainers were then trapped by the surrounding foliage. The sky darkened. As the plant roots continued to destroy the city, Lysandre took a step back and grinned. "The time for a new world has come!" he declared.

Xerneas looked on as the plants continued to wreak havoc on the city. It bounded off as quickly as it could to the Prism Tower, healing the wounded along the way. If it could free Hoopa, it would then put Team Flare at a huge disadvantage. Meanwhile, Squishy watched in horror as Z2 was brought out onto the top of the tower. It tried to communicate with it, but nothing happened. "Why won't you respond to me? What have they done to you? Answer me!" Squishy then quickly called out to its cells, transforming into the 10% form and rushed at Z2.

* * *

"What's going on?!" Ash exclaimed. Serena clutched Ash's arm tightly. She then remembered Olympia's words. " _Ash. You and your friends will be in the center of a disaster that is going to happen soon. Your Frogadier is going to play a large role in the defense of Lumiose City. With you at its side, it will reach new heights and unlock its greatest potential. You must act quickly. The city will be engulfed in a green flame….Zygarde…"_

Meanwhile, Bonnie ran to Clemont and sobbed into his chest.

"Squishy's in danger Clemont! We have to help him! I can feel his pain!" She cried. Clemont quickly looked around, trying to locate the source of the giant roots.

"Up there!" Everyone turned to where Clemont was pointing. Prism Tower. On the top of it stood a red Zygarde. It was under the control of Xerosic's weapon, and Ash could tell it was trying to free itself. Just then, a helicopter hovered above them. Two women in red suits appeared and released their Pokémon.  
"Who are you?!" Ash shouted.

"Drapion, Poison Powder,"

A ring of strangely shaped spheres surrounded Ash, before slamming into his chest. "ARGHHH!"

Ash then fell backwards, lifeless, onto the hard concrete. Serena ran to Ash and lifted him into a sitting position. "ASH!" Serena cried. Pikachu ran to its trainer tried to wake it up. The rest of Ash's Pokémon formed a protective circle around him. Charizard, however, flew up and landed straight in front of the two women that stood in front of them. Charizard growled, and released a Flamethrower straight right at them. Bryony and Celosia were quick to dodge, but the same couldn't be said about their Pokémon. Drapion fell down on the ground and was quickly recalled. Bryony pulled a different Pokeball and released a Koffing. "Use Smog," she ordered. Koffing was quick to expel a greenish gas out of its body. Clemont was the first to speak.

"Guys-cough-we have to get-cough-out of here," Clemont coughed out.

"But what-cough-what about Ash?" Bonnie asked, trying to hold back tears.

"I'm not going to leave him," Serena told the Lumiose twins stubbornly.  
"Serena-cough-do you know how harmful that gas is to humans?" Clemont questioned. "If you're going to stay, catch this," he said before throwing a walkie-talkie to Serena. "I call it the speak-to-each-other-when-you're-far-away machine mark 1. We're going to head to the Lumiose Tower and try to reclaim my gym back," Clemont said before taking Bonnie and running off.

Serena grit her teeth from the pain of the gas. " _I'm right here. Don't give up till it's over. Hang in there Ash"_ Serena said quietly, before breaking down in tears. Ash's Pokémon however, tried to protect their trainer and Serena. They could handle the Smog better than her. However, the Smog had taken an effect on them, but even still, Greninja managed to faint Celosia's Liepard; as soon as Celosia returned her Pokémon, another helicopter flew into the area. The door opened, and fourteen Team Flare grunts jumped off. Along with them was Team Flare Admin Matt. The grunts released their Pokémon, while the Admin ordered the attacks. Serena stood up. Determination filled her eyes. The Smog had finally stopped, and the Pokémon now looked to Serena to command them. "This is for you, Ash!" she shouted before she released her own Pokémon.

* * *

 **That ends chapter 6 guys. The Pokémon that were chosen were Ash's Charizard and Sceptile. I would like to thank NegatronWildHawk and rst64tlc for helping me to decide on these Pokemon. I'm sorry if you were hoping for a little more action in this chapter, but chapter 7 will contain a lot, so that's something to look forward to. I'll see you guys on Friday. Bye!**


	7. Serena's Stand

In a nearby Pokémon center, a young doctor was busily treating the injured civilians and Pokémon. He wore an orange and grey vest, and underneath, he wore a green short sleeved shirt. His hair was messy and unkempt, and his eyes were barely noticeable. A Nurse Joy came running up to him just as he finished treating a wounded Audino. "Doctor Brock, we need you at room 246. There is a severely burned Liligant that requires your immediate attention. I will finish up with the Audino." Brock stood up. "All right Nurse Joy. I'll be there as soon as I can."

* * *

"Pancham, use Stone Edge! Sylveon, Fairy Wind! Braixen, Fire Blast!" Serena commanded as each of her Pokémon nodded and executed their attacks. The three Pokémon were significantly weaker than Team Flare's, and they quickly got exhausted. Even so, they managed to knock out a grunt's Electrike before it could get close to Ash's unconscious form. Serena was worried. She knew her Pokémon wouldn't be able to hold their own in a fight against Team Flare. She then turned to face Ash's six older Pokémon. "I need you guys to act without Ash this time, ok? I don't really know how to battle, but you six know what to do right?" she asked hopefully. Charizard smirked. It then took off into the sky. Serena squinted to see where it had gone, but Charizard dived down as soon as it flew up and KO'd four of the grunt's Pokémon with his Overheat attack. Infernape leaped in front of Charizard, who was catching a breath from pulling off such a stunt, and swiftly punched a Liepard that tried to attack the recovering flying type with a Fire Punch. Infernape then lunged at it, its fist glowing white. Liepard turned and took a lightning fast Mach Punch in the face. It growled at its attacker and bit Infernape's arm with it Crunch. Infernape howled in pain, but quickly executed a Flame Wheel attack, setting Liepard on fire. Meanwhile Sceptile ran towards a horde consisting of Zubat, Skorupi, and Houndour and easily defeated them with Leaf Blade. It then proceeded to cut through more of the grunt's Pokémon, but was stopped by the Admin's Magnemite. Magnemite blinded Sceptile with Flash, but as it went in for the kill, it was tackled to the ground by Heracross, who finished it off with a single Megahorn. Bulbasaur supported its allies with Aromatherapy, and it added offensive status effects onto the desperate Team Flare grunts. It was suddenly got off guard by an unusually fast Sharpedo, who attacked with Ice Fang. Bulbasaur braced for impact, but surprisingly its attacker fell to the ground, KO'd from what looked like a Body Slam. Bulbasaur looked up, and there was Snorlax. Together the duo continued to hold off wave after wave of attackers.

Serena looked on in worry. Ash's Pokémon were doing fine, but if Team Flare continued to send in reinforcements, they would tire out. Quickly she ordered Braixen to use Psychic on Ash and to take him to the nearest Pokémon center. Braixen agreed and set off. It wasn't long before she was surrounded by the evil Zygarde roots, and she was already exhausted from using Psychic on Ash. The plants closed in on her, but were destroyed by Greninja. The other five Pokémon of Ash's Kalos team showed up, with Serena behind them. Bringing up the rear were the six older Pokémon, who were starting to tire out from the seemingly endless waves of enemies. Hawlucha, Talonflame and Greninja quickly carved a path through the Zygarde roots, and Noivern flew off to scout ahead for potential threats. The Pokémon Center was in sight, and Serena knew she had made it in time to save Ash. Meanwhile, Brock had just finished helping out the injured Liligant and was heading out to retrieve supplies from other Pokémon Centers when he saw Serena carrying an unconscious Ash through the doors. Brock was startled to see Ash in this state, and quickly rushed to his aid. Serena was confused. Why was this stranger so eager to help Ash? Brock quickly introduced himself as an old friend and told her that he needed to get Ash immediate attention. Once they had Ash given to a skilled human doctor, they proceeded to formally introduce themselves. "I'm Brock, former Gym leader of Pewter City in Kanto and an old friend of Ash. Currently, I'm training to become a Pokémon doctor, so I was sent here to get some firsthand experience." He then stretched out his hand. Serena shook it and introduced herself. "My name is Serena. I met Ash when we were kids in Pallet Town, but I had to move here to Kalos because my mom wanted to Rhyhorn Race here. One day I saw him on the news, so I went on a journey to find him. He's now my boyfriend," she blushed upon saying those words. Brock's eyes widened. How did Ash find a girlfriend so easily? He then shook the thought out of his head.  
"I'm sure Ash will be OK, Serena. He's pulled through all kinds of predicaments. Of course, they could have been avoided if he wasn't so reckless," Brock said carefully. He didn't want Serena to worry too much about him.

"Thanks, Brock. I sure hope he wakes up soon though. Olympia's prophecy said he was crucial to this battle," Serena spoke quietly.

"What prophecy?"

"Oh—it's nothing."

Brock then excused himself, stating that he was needed in another part of the Pokémon Center. Serena was told to stay with Ash, as her presence could calm him down should he wake up all of a sudden. She grabbed a chair and sat by his bedside. She then began to cry softly. " _Ash will pull through. I just know it,"_ she thought to herself.

* * *

Bonnie and Clemont had almost reached Prism Tower when they also were surrounded by the Zygarde roots. Clemont reached for the three Pokeballs on his belt and released Chespin, Bunnelby and Luxray. Bonnie hid behind her brother, using Dedenne to guard her back.

"Chespin, Pin Missile! Luxray Thunder Fang! Bunnelby, Mud Shot!" The trio attacked the roots viciously, but as soon as one root was destroyed, three more took their place. Clemont grit his teeth, and sweat formed on his brow. Bonnie tried to support her brother the best they could, having Dedenne use Thundershock on it. Gradually the Lumiose twins were overwhelmed, and Bonnie held on to Clemont tightly. Clemont tried to shield his sister from the incoming roots, and consequently took a blow in the chest, sending him flying back. "CLEMONT!" Bonnie cried before running to him as fast as she could. The roots blocked her path though and prepared to strike.  
"Blaziken, Flamethrower!" A masked man in a cape and mask called out.

"BlazeKIN!" the fire type released a burning flame from its mouth, destroying the surrounding roots. Bonnie looked up to see Blaziken-Mask land in front of her, his Mega Blaziken preparing to fire off another Flamethrower. "Go help your brother!" he shouted. Bonnie quickly obeyed and ran to the injured Clemont. Clemont sat up, breathing heavily before slouching back down and coughing.

"Bonnie, take Clemont to Nurse Joy. She can help treat his wounds," Blaziken-Mask ordered. Bonnie nodded and started off for the Pokémon Center. Meanwhile, the roots had reappeared in front of Blaziken-Mask and hoisted Mega Blaziken into the air. The roots then slammed it into the ground, severely injuring the Hoenn starter. Blaziken-Mask rushed to help his friend, but was slammed into a nearby wall as he approached. As Blaziken-Mask struggled to stand, he saw a young teenage boy with a Blastoise trying to free Blaziken from the Zygarde roots.

"Kid get back! It's too dangerous!"

"Don't worry old man. I got this. Blastoise, use Hydro Pump on the roots!" the boy called out. His partner instantly began to charge up its attack. Water was collected in Blastoise's twin cannons, and was then discharged in a powerful blast. The attack hit the roots which held Blaziken captive, freeing it, and together the two of them finished off the roots. Blaziken-Mask finally managed to stand up, and proceeded to thank the boy, but the boy instead raised his hand up, silencing him.

"Save your thanks for later. I'm Gary Oak, a Pokémon researcher. I came here because a friend of mine was competing in the Kalos League, as well as to study the Fairy types that live around here. We should get going though. Team Flare isn't gonna give up, so we've gotta stop them dead in their tracks instead. That'll teach 'em a lesson not to mess with me."

Blaziken-Mask simply nodded. And with that, the two trainers set off for Prism Tower.


	8. Zygarde versus Zygarde

Squishy called out to its remaining cells and transformed into its 10% form. Intent on freeing its brother, it rushed towards Prism Tower. Lysandre noticed this, and quickly commanded Z2 to use a Dragon Pulse. The rogue Zygarde prepared to fire off the attack, but as it released the beam of energy, it missed Squishy completely. Surprised, Lysandre pulled out his controller. "Still struggling, aren't we?" he muttered, before intensifying the energy that was controlling Z2. It let out a cry of agony as it tried to resist Lysandre's control, before completely succumbing to its will. With newfound malice towards Squishy, Z2 released attack after attack at its brother. Squishy was quick to dodge, and it quickly called out to the rest of its cells to transform itself into Zygarde 50%. Destroying the incoming obstacles with Crunch, it continued to advance. Meanwhile Xerneas was constantly running through the city, serving as a medic to help heal the injured. Every time it used its power though, it became progressively weaker, because a great deal of energy was needed to heal. Eventually it retreated to the outskirts of the city to regain its power. Xerosic, who was watching from far off, saw this as an opportunity to bring Xerneas under his control as well. He ordered his men to open fire, but was stunned when the beam was deflected into a nearby building. Xerosic's were quick to inform him that Diancie had intervened and Mega Evolved, using its Magic Bounce Ability to deflect the incoming projectile. Xerneas thanked Diancie, who beamed at its praise. She then headed off to find Ash and his friends. Xerneas went with her, intending to protect it from harm.

* * *

Ash stirred from his long slumber. Slowly, he opened his eyes, and saw himself on a hospital bed, with Pikachu lying on the chair next to it. His Pokémon were all in their respective Pokeballs and lined neatly on the desk. He tried to get up, but he felt a weight pressing down on him. As Ash looked down, he saw Serena, sleeping soundly on his chest. He smiled, and then decided he could go back to sleep for a little. He ran his hand through her hair, prompting a smile from the sleeping girl, and soon fell asleep. Brock walked past Ash's room and peeked in. What he saw made him smile. Ash really had come a long way from the childish person he used to be. He then left the room and returned to his duties. Suddenly a young girl wearing a white frilly dress and brown shirt burst through the door, dragging an older boy who was wearing a peculiar jumpsuit along with her. "Nurse Joy, my brother needs your help! He was hit in the chest by one of the Zygarde roots," she cried desperately. Nurse Joy quickly motioned for Brock to come.

"Doctor Brock, will please take these two to room 292?" Brock nodded. Then Nurse Joy turned to Bonnie. "I'm sorry if I couldn't personally check on your brother. I have many others to treat, so that is why Doctor Brock will be helping you instead of me," she quickly apologized. Bonnie nodded and quickly took off after Brock and her brother.

* * *

Squishy had finally reached the base of Prism Tower and proceeded to climb up it to where Z2 was. It reverted back to its 10% form and scaled the tower gracefully. Team Flare was prepared for this though, as Lysandre ordered for the cannons to fire at Squishy when the time was right. Squishy continued to advance, but as he made it to where Z2 was, a Mega Evolution energy bolt was fired. He narrowly dodged it, before locating the source of the bolt. Squishy then transformed back into its 50% form and used Dragon Pulse on the cannon. It was instantly destroyed. Lysandre quickly ordered Z2 to use Land's Wrath on Squishy, seeing as it was distracted with the weapon. Z2 released a cry that shook the entire Prism Tower. A fissure appeared in front of it, and it quickly split into many cracks, destabilizing the whole tower. As Squishy turned, the massive earthquake struck him full on, and it plummeted to the ground.

Clemont was resting in his room, with Bonnie next to him, making sure he was OK, when suddenly Bonnie clutched her head tightly in pain. Clemont jumped up and knelt down in front of Bonnie. "Bonnie! What's wrong?" Clemont inquired shakily. Bonnie continued to writhe around, clutching her head. She then screamed. Clemont restrained her from flailing around by holding her shoulders.

"Bonnie!"

* * *

Squishy struggled to get up. The ground beneath it had crumbled, offering no support for it. Squishy then stood and tried to stop Z2 by climbing up the tower once again. Lysandre grit his teeth. "Persistent little pest. Z2, finish it off."

Once again, Z2 fired off a Dragon Pulse at Squishy. This time, Squishy countered with its own Dragon Pulse, causing the attacks to cancel out and a huge explosion to follow after. Z2 jumped down from its perch. It would destroy Squishy. Z2 prepared to use Land's Wrath once again, but Squishy used the environment to avoid the attack, leaping off the buildings and striking Z2 in the gut with a Body Slam. Z2 flinched from the attack, leaving it open for another attack. Squishy finished off Z2 with one powerful Dragon Pulse. Lysandre was shocked to see Z2 fall, and frantically raised the level of mind control he had over it to the maximum. Z2's body was surrounded by a red light, but the amount of control he had over it meant nothing if Z2 fainted. Squishy ran over to its brother. Exhausted, Z2 slouched to the ground and fainted. The mind control had drained him of his power, and the strength required to use such powerful moves and completely exhausted it. Squishy then turned to face Lysandre, but was met with a deadly energy beam that was fired off by another cannon. Lysandre grinned. "They're both under our control now. If we give them time to recover, we can force them to turn into perfect Zygarde. With such power, there's no way we'll be defeated."

* * *

Ash and Serena were both awakened by Bonnie's cry and rushed over to the room to find out what was wrong. Clemont looked at them, confusion and worry in his eyes. "I don't know what's wrong with her. She won't respond to anything I say! She keeps muttering about Squishy."  
Ash looked at Bonnie. She was tensed up, and her whole body was trembling. Her hands were in her head, and she cried out every now and then. He then remembered. He could feel Greninja's pain whenever it was hit. The bond the two shared allowed them to do that. Bonnie must have been feeling the pain that Squishy was experiencing. Ash looked to Clemont.

"I think I know what is happening. Bonnie is experiencing a similar pain as Squishy. Whenever it gets hurt, she can feel a bit of the pain," Ash said.

Suddenly Bonnie stopped her writhing. Her head didn't seem to hurt anymore. She looked around. Clemont, Ash and Serena were all standing there, worry in their eyes. She could no longer connect with Squishy, indicating that it was in trouble."Squishy's in danger! I have to help him!" Bonnie cried before attempting to run off and find him. She was held back by Clemont.

"Wait! I'll go with you. It's better if we go together. That way if one of us is hurt, the other can come and warn the others."  
Ash spoke up. "I'll go too! Squishy is our friend. He needs us right now. There is no way I'm going to let a friend of mine suffer!" he said, pumping his fist.

Serena also agreed to go. "If I go with you guys, at least I know you'll be OK. I'm not the best battler, so I'm not much of a help. Even so, I won't sit idle either."  
The four of them then set off into the chaos outside.

* * *

 **That finishes chapter 8 guys. I must say though, the writers really surprised me this time. They screwed up the Kalos League really bad, so I thought that they would probably screw up Amourshipping as well. Turns out I was pleasantly surprised. Did any of you see this coming? Its CANON! Anyway, if she goes to Alola, my faith in humanity is restored. Also, I probably will take a short break over the weekend (exams are coming up) but I will try to update if possible. Thanks guys and see you next time!**


	9. Hoopa Unbound

"Lysandre, the Zygarde cores will have to rest if we are to use them at their maximum effectiveness later. Shall we bring in the other specimen?" Xerosic questioned via his Holocaster.

"Yes Xerosic. Now is the time to demonstrate the full power of Team Flare. You may release Hoopa from its confinement when you are ready. I am very pleased with your success concerning the creation of the Mega Evolution cannon. Once this is over, I will reward you with a promotion."

"Thank you Lysandre. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must prepare the Ultimate Weapon for deployment in Geosenge Town. I will let you know when it is operational." And with that, the connection ended.

Lysandre walked to the window of his apartment and grinned. "Soon all that will be left of Lumiose City will be ashes. The world will be purged from all of the filth it has accumulated after so many years. Then we can finally create the perfect environment for Team Flare." He then contacted Matt. "Release Hoopa from its captivity, but keep the level of our control over it exceptionally high. We don't want it to act rashly."

"Already done sir. Hoopa was just released. It is currently attacking the southern part of the city."

"Has it submitted to your will?"

"Yes sir. Shall I command it to open up a Hyperspace Hole?"

Lysandre smirked. "Have it use the portal as soon as possible."

* * *

Ash and his friends were in the lower half of Lumiose City when they heard an ear piercing cry of a Pokémon that seemed eerily familiar. As they rounded the corner, they came face to face with a familiar friend. Hoopa grinned darkly. "Were you surprised?"

Ash froze. Serena clutched his arm tightly. Bonnie's eyes widened upon realization of who it was, and Clemont looked away, refusing to believe what was in front of his very eyes. In front of them stood their old friend Hoopa. It looked different this time though. It was giant, and now had six arms. A large cavity now occupied the center of his body, and it seemed to have forgotten who its friends were. Ash noticed that like Z2, it had a faint red outline surrounding its entire body. It must have been under Lysandre's control for it to have become such a monstrosity. Hoopa stared blankly at his former friends, before taking out three portal rings. It then called out through the rings and found three Pokémon he desired. He then snatched them from their world and into his own, causing a huge explosion that sent the four friends flying back in the process. Out of one ring came a quadrupedal dragon. It had gray metallic armor covering most of its body, while the skin underneath was a dark blue. It had a diamond in the center of its chest plate, as well as a finlike structure protruding out of its back and a crest like appendage on its head. It gave out a mighty roar that shook the ground beneath it. It was the Time Pokémon Dialga.

Out of the next ring came a bipedal theropod like Pokémon, with a lavender body and stripes of a darker shade of the same color. It had round purple-striped plates on its shoulder, resembling a pauldron, with two pink pearls embedded in it and surrounded by a gray rim. It had a long neck and a pointed crest on top of its head, with two sharp hornlike structures protecting the sides of its mouth. It was the Space Pokémon Palkia.

The final ring violently shook before the Pokémon inside destroyed the barrier and broke through the dimension. A large draconid creature appeared. It was dark gray with gold half rings surrounding its neck. On its head sat a large crownlike feature. A menacing black stripe ran down its back. It possessed six legs, with sharp claws protruding from its feet. The massive beast let out a frightening roar. Giratina, the antimatter Pokémon, had appeared.

The dimension trio each gave out a massive roar and did as their master wished them to do. The three began to unleash their deadly signature moves: Spacial Rend, Phantom Force and Roar of Time. The cries of the Pokémon could be heard from across the Kalos Region. Clemont looked to his friends.

"Guys! We gotta get out of here! Let's try to make it back to my gym. If we can get our hands on Xerosic's mind control device, we may be able to turn the tide of battle."

"We're right behind you Clemont!" The three of them yelled amidst the chaos around them. The dimension trio seemed to be receiving their orders via Hoopa, and vanished.  
"The gym's right over there! We can get in through the secret passageway Bonnie and I made when we were kids. We used it to get out of the gym without Dad knowing and explore the world outside of the gym," Clemont shouted excitedly. As the four reached their destination, a dark portal opened in front of them. Giratina materialized and stood before them.

"GIRATINAAAAAA!"

Ash quickly ran and stood in front of his friends. He pulled out three Pokeballs. "He's not gonna let us pass without a fight guys. Sceptile! Charizard! Greninja! I choose you!" Clemont then ran and stood beside Ash, releasing his Pokémon as well. "Bunnelby! Chespin! Luxray! You help too!"

Serena and Bonnie stood behind Ash in fear. Both were terrified at the thought of losing Ash and Clemont to the dangerous legendary Pokémon. Ash looked back to the two. "It's gonna be Ok guys. I promise."  
Clemont pushed his glasses up, causing them to shine. "For Kalos!" he yelled.

The six Pokémon were each given commands, and were quick to engage their opponent.

* * *

Far off in the distance, the cries of Hoopa caused a certain cocoon to awaken from its slumber. Yveltal looked up into the sky. The sky had darkened, and in the center of Lumiose City was a large billow of smoke. The cries of three legendary Pokémon could be heard, and with that, Yveltal unfurled its giant clawed wings and released a screech of its own. The Pokémon of Destruction was awakened, and it was headed straight for Prism Tower.


	10. Six Against One

Giratina released a massive roar and charged at the six Pokémon opposing it. The six of them barely escaped the dangerous Phantom Force attack. Giratina vanished temporarily from their line of sight, but later reappeared on top of a nearby building and unleashed a Dragon Pulse. The six of them were cornered and were forced to counter with their own attacks. They Dragon Pulse, however, pierced straight through their attacks, successfully scattering the six of them. Ash was worried. If they couldn't break through Giratina's defense, it would be like attacking a wall. Clemont looked to Ash and recalled his Pokémon.

"We have to keep moving to make it to the gym! Giratina's distracted right now, so it's easier to sneak inside the tower! Come on!" He called out amidst the explosions going off around them. Ash refused to move.

"Clemont, I'm not leaving my Pokémon when they need me most!"

"Fine Ash, we'll think of something else. We could split up, with Bonnie and me going to Prism Tower. You can stay with your Pokémon, but please be careful. One hit from that monster and you're finished!"

"Will do. Serena! I need you to go with them! I don't want you to get hurt!"

Serena was distraught. Part of her wanted to drag Ash with them to the gym, but she knew how much his Pokémon meant to him. The other half of her wanted to stay with him. At least that way she would have assurance that he was safe. She stood there for a few seconds, before running to Ash and tightly embracing him. "Please be safe out there Ash. Come back alive." She spoke, with sadness in her voice. Ash held her tightly. "I promise." Serena let go and began to run to catch up with Clemont and Bonnie. She gave one last glance in Ash's direction before turning towards Clemont. He gave her a quizzical look, before realizing why she was upset. He put a hand on her shoulder. "He's gonna be OK. Ash isn't the type to give in so easily."

"Thanks Clemont."

"Hey you two! Hurry up! You've gotta see this!" Bonnie shouted.

The two of them caught up to her and peeked inside. Inside was Team Flare. Lots of them. Sweat started to form on Clemont's brow. _This may be harder than we thought._ As Serena looked inside, she saw a familiar face _._ Mairin? What was she doing here? Serena watched as the young girl went into a nearby room, carrying a sickly Chespin in her arms. _That must be Chespie!_ She thought as she recalled what Mairin had said regarding her partner Pokémon. Clemont, meanwhile, had located the secret passageway that he and Bonnie had used previously, and motioned for the others to follow him down the path. "Be on your guard," he said, before entering the tower along with Serena and Bonnie.

* * *

"Sceptile, Leaf Blade! Charizard, Dragon Tail! Greninja! Water Shuriken!"

"Sceptile!"

"CHARIZARDDD!"

"Ninjaaaa!"

The three Pokémon attacked Giratina, each of them proving how much they had improved since he last saw them. Giratina dodged them effortlessly, and countered with his own Dragon Pulse. The attack struck the three full on, causing them to flinch. Seeing this, Ash released Goodra, Snorlax and Noivern.

"Goodra! Dragon Pulse! Snorlax! Defense Curl! Noivern! Dragon Claw!"

Each of the Pokémon did as they were told, and fired off their attacks at the legendary. The attacks were deflected with several rapid Shadow Balls. Noivern, however, managed to land a solid hit on it with Dragon Claw. Giratina slid back a bit, and roared, enraged by the pain Noivern caused. Ash continued to command the six Pokémon, but Giratina, although slower than before because of the damage inflicted on it, continued to dodge the oncoming barrage of attacks. It then prepared to use Phantom Force once again, when Ash noticed something. Whenever it used the move, a shadow appeared roughly in the same area as to where it would teleport to. With this in mind, he ordered Greninja to gain altitude, while the others distracted the Legendary with their attacks. Charizard was eager to take down Giratina and lunged at it with a Slash attack. Giratina swiftly cancelled its attack and dodged, before it attacked with Dragon Pulse. Charizard fell to its knees, struggling to get up. As Giratina was about to finish it off, it was tackled by Snorlax. Meanwhile, Sceptile appeared from its hiding spot and jumped onto Giratina's back. It then slashed at it with Leaf Blade. Giratina howled in pain, before flinging Sceptile into a nearby building. Ash grit his teeth. Why wasn't it using Phantom Force? For his plan to work, he needed it to use Phantom Force. Noivern took off into the air and fired off a supersonic attack. Giratina was struck in the head by the attack, successfully confusing it. It then used Phantom Force. Ash signaled to the others to break off their attacks. Giratina fell for the trap and aimed directly for Goodra. As it executed the move, however, Greninja appeared suddenly and leaped from its perch. Giratina reappeared from teleporting and was met with a Super Effective Ice Punch to the face. It slumped down in front of Greninja and the others. Charizard then unleashed a deadly flamethrower on it. Giratina collapsed, unable to take any more hits. Ash could see it could still fight, but also knew it was too weak to put up much of a fight, he recalled his Pokémon and ran as fast as he could to Prism Tower. As he passed Giratina however, the draconic Pokémon fired off a final Shadow Ball at Ash, before it fainted. Ash turned at the sudden noise and was struck in the chest by the attack. As his consciousness was leaving him, he told Pikachu to let out as many of his Pokémon as it could and warn Clemont and Serena. He then blacked out.

* * *

When Ash came to, he saw that he was suspended in front of Prism Tower and was restrained by unusual floating binders. He looked around and saw his Greninja next to him. "Greninja! What happened?" he asked groggily.

"Ninja," the ninja frog Pokémon responded.

"So you're finally awake Ketchum."

Ash turned, and was shocked at the sight of another familiar face standing in front of him. "Lysandre? What are you doing here? It's dangerous," Ash said. Lysandre just grinned.

"Ash, I'm disappointed at your naivety. Did you really think I was interested in you Greninja because it could be used to help demonstrate the bond of Pokémon and trainers? The energy required to cause such a transformation could be useful to Team Flare's cause, you must understand that right? I am Team Flare's leader."

Ash was shocked, but was quick to leer at Lysandre. "You won't get away with this!"

"Oh? Let me introduce you to the energy extractor we have invented. When used, it drains all the energy that is used to form Mega Evolution, or in your case, Synchro-Evolution."

Two robotic insects flew up to where Ash and Greninja were suspended.

"Still think I won't get away with it? Fire," Lysandre ordered coldly. The two robots unleashed a powerful beam that to Greninja, felt like the strongest Drain Punch possible. To Ash, the excruciating pain caused him to scream out. Greninja cried out to its trainer, but Ash knew he couldn't help his friend.

"I'm sorry… Greninja….."

Lysandre smirked as the energy extractor finished the task it was given. Ash was now under his control, and Greninja couldn't synchronize with him because it had fainted in the process.

"We have finally obtained enough energy to power the Ultimate Weapon, thanks to Ash and his Greninja, as well as Alain's blind obedience. Soon, we will finally fulfill our dream." As he was speaking, he noticed a person approaching from the corner of his eye. He turned and saw an enraged Alain.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" he shouted.

Lysandre cursed under his breath and commanded Ash to attack Alain. Alain was surprised when Ash started to walk forward and remove the one Pokeball that Lysandre allowed him to keep. He released Infernape, who was also under the mind control, and commanded it to use a Fire Punch on Alain. Alain executed a backflip and successfully evaded the attack. He then released his Charizard and Mega-Evolved it.

"Keystone, respond to my heart. Beyond evolution, Mega Evolve!" Alain said before turning to face Lysandre with an icy glare. "I trusted you. I collected Mega Evolution energy for you day in and day out. I helped to further your research. I collected your own Mega Stone as well as many others for you. How could you do this to me?!"

"You are truly a pathetic, Alain. Look around. What do you see? Destruction. Chaos. Pain. Such is the will of Team Flare. You caused all of this by blindly following me, and now you will be erased from existence along with all the pitiful humans of this world!"

Alain's eyes widened. He caused all of this chaos by collecting Mega Evolution energy for Lysandre, thinking that it would save Mairin's Chespin. Alain pounded his fist into the wall repeatedly. "No, no, NO! What have I done?!" Alain looked up and saw Lysandre order Ash to attack once again. Mindlessly, Ash proceeded to attack Alain with his Infernape. Alain tried to snap Ash out of it, but ultimately failed to do so. "Infernape! Thunder Punch on Charizard!"

"Counter with Dragon Claw!"

Infernape lunged at Charizard and attacked it with a flurry of punches. Charizard was forced on the defensive, and countered with Dragon Claw. As it let its guard down to catch a breath, Infernape slammed its fist, crackling with electricity, into Charizard's chest. Charizard stumbled backwards, but stood strong.

"Ash snap out of it!"

* * *

Clemont and the others had made it into the gym undetected. As they made their way into the gym, they looked around. One side of the gym's wall had crumbled from when Z2 had used Land's Wrath earlier, and a Mega Evolution cannon was protruding out of the cavity. Clemont headed for the cannon's controls, followed by Bonnie and Serena, but when Bonnie peeked into the next room, she was terrified. Inside the room was Squishy. He was being put under the control of Team Flare and forced to fuse with Z2, who was already controlled. Meanwhile, Clemont reached the cannon and Serena looked around to see if anyone was there. When she heard an explosion from above, she looked up and the sight she beheld froze her. There was Ash, his body glowing red, attacking Alain mindlessly with Infernape. Just then Pikachu and the others rushed into the room and collapsed. Pikachu tried to explain to Clemont what happened, but he couldn't understand what was going on. He glanced at Serena, who pointed to the sky. Clemont was shocked to see a controlled Ash carrying out Lysandre's orders like a robot. Before he had time to act, the alarm went off. Grunts were sent in and Clemont was surrounded. Serena had run off after Ash, and Bonnie was still inside the room holding Squishy. Pikachu and the other Pokémon ran in front of Clemont, while he released Chespin Luxray and Bunnelby. Clemont continued to get to the cannon's controls. Pikachu and the others held off the incoming waves of enemies, and Clembot, who was in sleep mode, awakened and released Heliolisk and Magnemite. All of them grew weary, but continued to hold off the attacks. Clemont then ordered Electric Terrain to be used, and Luxray successfully electrocuted the grunts. Snorlax then used Rock Slide and blocked the entryway, preventing any more from coming. Clemont ran over to the computer controls, and obtained a map that showed where the remaining cannons were stationed. After getting the important information from the computer, he had Heliolisk use Thunderbolt. The mind control beam controlling Dialga and Palkia was disabled, causing the two of them to return to normal. Hoopa was enraged at the two turncoat Pokémon, and engaged the two in combat. Meanwhile, Xerneas and Diancie had reached Prism Tower, when they heard the cry of a familiar enemy. Yveltal had arrived.

* * *

"Ash, snap out of it please!" Serena cried.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Ash shouted back. Infernape readied a Mach Punch and lunged at Serena. The attack was deflected away by Charizard's Dragon Claw.

"Get behind me Serena!" Alain ordered.

"But Ash—"

"But Ash can't hear you! Get to him as soon as we take care of Infernape!"

Charizard readied a Flamethrower, and struck Infernape in the chest. Infernape slid backwards, but countered with a Thunder Punch. Charizard reeled backwards from the super effective hit. Meanwhile Lysandre intensified mind control on Ash. His eyes grew red and he had Infernape attack Alain, once again with a Flame Wheel. Alain evaded, and then realized something. If they could destroy the controller, Ash would be free from Lysandre's control. If he was freed, Lysandre's plan would be foiled. Lysandre realized this, and frantically released Gyarados to end Ash's life.

Meanwhile, Serena rushed over to Ash and tried to snap him out of it. "Hang in there Ash! I know you're strong. You can fight it!"

"Get out of my head!" Ash cried, trying to resist the mind control.

"Gyarados, Hyper Beam on the boy!" Lysandre shouted.

"Ash!" Serena ran over to him as quickly as she could. She tackled him out of the way and was skimmed by the powerful attack. Serena screamed in pain and fell to her knees. Alain quickly used the smoke caused by the explosion to destroy the mind control device that was possessing Ash.

"Ughh—my head…. Where am I? What happened Infernape?"

Infernape was just as confused. Ash took the time to look around him. He noticed Alain's Charizard was locked in combat with Lysandre's Gyarados. He then saw Serena, slumped on the ground near him.

"Serena!" Ash called out, running towards her limp figure. He lifted her into a sitting position. "Serena! Can you hear me!" he called out. Suddenly a thought entered his mind. A thought that haunted him. Serena wasn't waking up. What if she never woke up? Ash crumpled on the floor, bringing her body in a tight embrace. "Serena…" Ash cried. Just then, Serena stirred. She opened her eyes and saw Ash crying next to her.

"Ash…?" she uttered weakly.

"Serena! You're OK!" Ash said as he tightly embraced her. Serena hugged him back.

"I'm—I'm glad you're OK Ash," she spoke quietly.

"Me too Serena. But what happened to you?!"

"I—I took a hit t-that was aimed for y-you…" she said softly. Serena's embrace on Ash weakened, before she slumped down and panted heavily.

"We need Brock to have a look at you."

Serena agreed, and the two fled to the Pokémon Center.


	11. Bonnie's Plea

"The two Zygardes are now fully under our control Xerosic. We are ready to release them into the city and are awaiting your command."

"Commence at once."

The center of Prism Tower erupted in an emerald hue, as the two Zygarde were released into the city. Almost immediately, they began to destroy the city with Land's Wrath and Dragon Pulse. The Zygarde roots were still present, picking off those who dared to venture outside. Ash had gotten Serena to the Pokémon Center in time, and she was currently being looked at by Brock. Ash decided to go out with his Pokémon and retrieve any wounded, as well as to defend the center from attack. Meanwhile, Clemont had gotten to the top level of Prism Tower, intent on destroying the cannon there. As he reached the top, a rather plump man dressed in red confronted him there. He stood between the cannon and Clemont, attempting to halt his advance.

"Why have you done this?" Clemont called out. "Inventions are for helping people and Pokémon! They are not instruments used to cause destruction or chaos!"

"I am Team Flare's chief inventor, Xerosic. I was tasked with creating these cannons to help the cause of Team Flare. Can you explain to me where I am wrong? I'm using my inventions to help the people of Team Flare! If you oppose me, I have my orders to eliminate you. Come on out Crobat!" he yelled before chucking a Pokeball into the air. A four winged bat like creature appeared in front of him. Clemont's Pokémon were already out of their Pokeballs, and they stood in front of Clemont, waiting for a command from the blonde inventor.

* * *

"Squishy!" Bonnie called out, running out of the tower and towards a possessed Zygarde. "Squishy what's happening! Why are you destroying our city? Why are you destroying our home?!" Bonnie continued to chase after the Serpentine form of Zygarde. Suddenly, Squishy turned and attacked Bonnie with Dragon Pulse. Bonnie covered her face, closed her eyes and ducked, but she knew the attack would still hit her full on.

"Blastoise, Hydro Pump!"

"BLAS-TOIIISEE!"

The attack never hit Bonnie. As she opened her eyes, she saw a trainer about the same age as Ash standing in front of her, with a Blastoise next to him. He wore a dark blue long sleeved shirt and had spiky brown hair. He turned and introduced himself.

"I'm Gary, a friend of Ash and a Pokémon researcher. You shouldn't be wandering off like that y'know?"

"But my friend Squishy needs my help! He's been put under mind control by Lysandre!" She turned and tried to run after Zygarde, but Gary restrained her. "Let me go, you big meanie!" Eventually she broke from his grasp and chased after Squishy.

"Geez, what a good first impression," Gary thought. Blaziken-Mask caught up to him finally, and inquired as to where Bonnie went. When Gary pointed in the general vicinity of where Bonnie took off, he rushed off in that direction. Gary was puzzled. Why was this man so worried for the girl's safety? Scratching the back of his head, Gary turned and ran after Blaziken-Mask.

"Bonnie it's too dangerous! Get back!" Blaziken-Mask called out. Bonnie refused to listen and continued to pursue the Order Pokémon. Blaziken-Mask caught up to the young girl and tugged her back. Bonnie desperately tried to escape his grip. "Squishy!" she cried out.

Zygarde turned. The massive serpentine Pokémon faced Bonnie with a cold stare. Without any emotion, it fire off a Dragon Pulse at the cowering girl. Blaziken-Mask leaped in front of Bonnie and was hit by the deadly beam of energy. "Arghhhh!" he grunted in pain. Gary ran over to help him up, while Bonnie continued to inch closer and closer to her friend. She fell to her knees, refusing to look Squishy in the eye, as a tear dropped from her eyes and onto the debris she was kneeling on. As she looked up, she began to sing her song of comfort to Squishy. As she sang, more tears welled up in her eyes and fell to the ground. Zygarde turned its head slightly to the side. He seemed to be momentarily saddened looking at the girl, before its eyes glazed over once again. It then prepared another Dragon Pulse. It was as though the Order Pokémon had all of its emotion drained from it. Bonnie closed her eyes and dug her nails deep into her skirt. Squishy released all of its stored up energy and fired. However, the attack avoided Bonnie and struck a nearby building, causing it to crumble and collapse into a large pile of debris. The three of them stared in shock. Squishy turned and faced Bonnie. The crying girl looked up to it. "Squishy?" Zygarde edged closer to Bonnie. Gary gripped the Pokeball on his belt tightly, ready to release Blastoise in case something bad happened. "Squishy!" Bonnie cried out as the Order Pokémon came close enough for her to hug. Squishy nuzzled her face gently, before it transformed back into its original core form. Exhausted, it fell to the ground. Bonnie quickly caught it in her bag. "Squishy… I missed you so much!" Bonnie cried once again. Squishy was quick to react, as it sensed its brother was still in trouble. Energized once again, it hopped out of Bonnie's bag and motioned for her to follow him. She agreed, and the three of them followed Squishy back to the center of the city.

* * *

"Gyarados, Hyper Beam! Crush that Charizard!" Lysandre ordered.

"Alright Charizard, dodge and use Flamethrower!" Alain countered.

The two Pokémon clashed, with neither attack doing too much damage. The power required to fire off a Hyper Beam exhausted Gyarados, causing it to move slower than usual and allowing Alain to score a direct hit on it with Thunder Punch. The two continued to engage each other in combat. Alain's eyes were filled with a mix of emotions. One very distinguishable one was rage. How could Lysandre use someone like him to fulfill his wicked desire? Alain grit his teeth, before ordering a relentless barrage of Thunder Punch on the Gyarados.  
Lysandre cackled before reaching for the keystone on his wrist. He released the power from the stone onto Gyarados. Its whole body began to glow a bright blue. Down its enlarged back ran two jagged spines, each connected to the other with folds of tan flesh. Its underside was now a dark grey, and it was now twice as large as usual. Gyarados let out a massive roar as the Mega Evolution symbol appeared before it.

* * *

Ash looked up to Prism Tower and saw Alain struggling to maintain his defense against Lysandre's Gyarados. His Charizard was bruised and beaten, and was barely standing from Gyarados's Aqua Tail.

" _I've gotta go help him!"_ he thought to himself. Ash then went back inside the Pokémon Center and left a note for Serena explaining he was going to help Alain. " _She's not gonna be happy to hear that"_ he thought as he reluctantly reached for his Pokeballs and cap. "Rest well Serena, and thanks Brock for helping her out," Ash said before leaving. Brock smiled. "Guess he's gonna make me the deliverer of the bad news. Typical," he chuckled to himself.


	12. An Inventor's Sorrow

Clemont eyes narrowed at the Team Flare scientist standing in front of him, his hands clenched into fists. Xerosic calmly ordered Crobat to attack Chespin with an Air Slash. Crobat's wings glowed white hot, before he launched a projectile of flying type energy towards Chespin.

"Dodge it!" Clemont panicked. Chespin quickly propelled himself into the air by using Vine Whip to push himself high up. The attack missed the small Kalos starter narrowly. Chespin landed on the ground in front of the blonde inventor and waiting for its next command. The boy in the jumpsuit, after making some careful precautions, ordered the next attack.

"Chespin, get behind Luxray! Luxray! Use Thunder Fang on Crobat! Bunnelby! Use Dig."

"Crobat, Sludge Bomb on Luxray!"

"Counter with Swift!"

Luxray quickly leaped in front of Chespin and adopted a defensive stance. It then whipped its tail to its side and launched several miniature stars at the four-winged bat. Crobat was swift to obey its master's orders. A filthy sludge collected near its mouth, before it was quickly fired at Luxray. The attack struck its head, while Swift hit Crobat for substantial damage. Luxray then drooped its head as purple bubbles began to escape from his body and into the air, before popping. Clemont realized that it was poisoned. " _Not good"_ Luxray then followed up with its Thunder Fang. The attack was too much for Crobat to handle, and it fell to the ground in front of Xerosic, fainted. Xerosic grit his teeth, before recalling it and releasing his second Pokémon.

"Malamar it's your turn!"

The sinister Pokémon appeared and uttered its name eerily. "Malamarrrrrr…."

"Use Psychic."

Malamar's eyes turned light blue. A light with the exact same color as its eyes engulfed Luxray and lifted it into the air. Suddenly, Malamar dropped Luxray straight into the ground, causing an explosion. When the dust cleared, Luxray's limp body and swirly eyes could be seen clearly. Clemont recalled it. "Thanks buddy."

"Chespin, Use Vine Whip to hold Malamar in place! Bunnelby, you can come out now," he shouted.

"Chesss….PIN!" Two vines appeared from Chespin's head and seized Malamar, holding the Overturning Pokémon in place as Bunnelby prepared to surface and attack Malamar. Xerosic smirked wickedly.

"Malamar, Psychic once again."

The Dark and Psychic Pokémon closed its eyes and concentrated intently. As Bunnelby continued to tunnel towards Malamar, it suddenly cried out in pain as it was forcefully pulled out of the ground and into Chespin. Both of the Pokémon flew back a bit. Both struggled to get up, but as Chespin pulled himself together and stood up, he saw Bunnelby fall down on its knees, swirly eyes visible. As Chespin looked on in worry, it was sent flying backwards into a nearby wall by Malamar's Pyscho Cut. Chespin struggled to get up, but it ultimately also dropped down and fainted. Clemont gripped the last two Pokeballs on his belt, but was caught off guard when Xerosic ordered Malamar to use Psycho Cut on him. His eyes widened when Malamar prepared to end his life with the deadly attack, when he saw a metalloid robot run in front of him and take the lethal blow. Clemont gasped as he saw that the falling robot was none other than Clembot. "Clembot! NO!" Clemont shouted as his robotic companion began fall backwards into the ground. Clembot, heavily damaged, was lying on the ground, motionless. He moved his head slightly towards his creator. "Master Clemont, I have learned much from serving you. I truly am glad to have you as my master. You were my greatest friend and companion during our journey together. I know you can restore this city back to the way it was before. T….hank…..Thank you" Clembot managed to stutter out, before its head fell back down to the ground beneath it. The light in its eyes went out, and the crippled robot lay there, lifeless. Clemont looked at his friend. Its body was struck in the chest area, and the attack managed to slice right through it. The robot was completely still, with no signs of waking up. The damage done to it was too much for it to handle. Clemont closed his hands into a fist. "NOOOOO!" he cried. A tear ran down his cheek, followed by several others. The blonde inventor knelt down beside his fallen invention. "Clembot…" he sobbed.

Xerosic took advantage of this a coldly ordered another attack at Clemont. Malamar lifted the boy into the air and proceeded to hurl him over the edge of the tower. Luckily Chespin had used Vine Whip and tripped Xerosic and Malamar as they were running towards Clemont. Xerosic tripped over the Vine Whip and set off the trapdoor contraption Clemont had set up. The two of them fell through the trap and plummeted to the bottom of the tower. Unfortunate for them, the Lumiose twins weren't there to save them, and they landed on the hard concrete. Meanwhile, Clemont raced over to the computer's controls and activated the self-destruct mechanism. Recalling Chespin, he then dragged the body of his robotic companion out of the tower. As the cannon exploded, he looked up towards the top of the tower. He noticed that two trainers were locked in combat. One had a Metagross and a Mega Charizard. The other had a massive Mega Gyarados and wore a strange mask. " _Is that Lysandre?"_ Clemont realized that Alain needed support, but he realized that none of his Pokémon were in any condition to fight. He had no choice but to retreat to the Pokémon Center.

* * *

"Alain!" Ash called out to his rival, who was currently attacking Gyarados with both of his Pokémon. Ash glanced at the menacing threat before him. He gripped the Pokeball on his belt and called out Greninja. The two of them immediately attack the Gyarados with Cut. Lysandre was quick to react, and ordered Gyarados to use Fire Fang on the blade of light, catching Greninja off guard. It then lifted the Ninja Frog into the air.

"Metagross! Use Psychic to catch Greninja! Charizard, Thunder Punch!"

Metagross successfully caught Greninja and let him down on his feet. Charizard rushed at its opponent and delivered two swift super effective punches to its gut. Gyarados didn't even flinch.

"Stone Edge on Charizard."

Gyarados roared and caused several massive stones to erupt out of the ground towards the Flame Pokémon. The attack was executed perfectly, causing Charizard to wince in pain. It was gradually weakening from the accumulative damage it was taking.

"Metagross, Meteor Mash!"

Metagross moved in front of Charizard and delivered a deadly blow to the opposing Pokémon. The attack wasn't effective, but the sheer power of the move caused Gyarados to slide backwards. By now Greninja had recovered from its shock and used Ice Punch to follow up on Metagross' attack. The move connected successfully and knocked Gyarados to the ground.

* * *

"Brock, where did Ash go?" Serena asked innocently. The spiky haired young man turned to face her, and gulped.

"Um, He kinda went back to Prism Tower. Yeah, kinda," Brock stuttered, before sweatdropping.

"HE DID WHAT?!"

* * *

 **That ends this chapter folks. I must say thank you to all who read this story so far, and especially those who continue to follow me and review my work. I would like to thank Pinkrangerfan for the continuous support and reviews. Thanks a lot. Also what are your thoughts on the XYZ specials coming up? Personally, I don't like Cilan, so I'm not really psyched to see him. Anyway, I'll see you guys on Friday. Note: I may delay some of my uploads, because of upcoming exams.**


	13. Overcoming Obstacles

"Gyarados! Hyper Beam!"

"Metagross, get in close and finish it with Explosion!"

"Greninja, distract Gyarados with Cut!" The three trainers each ordered their Pokémon to attack.

The three combatants obediently followed. As Greninja swiftly slashed at Gyarados with Cut, effectively distracting it. As Gyarados locked onto the blindingly fast water type, Metagross successfully used Explosion on Gyarados, causing it to faint. Lysandre grit his teeth and recalled his Pokémon. When he received a message from Xerosic on his holocaster, he smiled evilly. Before he could be arrested, he walked backwards and fell off the tower. Greninja whipped out its tongue to try and catch him, but it missed. Lysandre plummeted off the cliff, seemingly to his death. As Ash looked up however, he saw the man was caught by a helicopter hovering nearby. Lysandre muttered something inaudible, and then closed the doors of the helicopter. Ash and Alain each recalled their tired Pokémon.

"Close one!" Ash sighed, relieved that all of the mess was over for now. Alain, however, was not about to get comfortable yet. He knew that Lysandre also had a small research facility underground somewhere in Geosenge Town. He also knew that was where Mairin and Chespie were being kept. He looked to Ash.

"Ash?"

"What's up?"

"Lysandre's not done."

"What do you mean? He's got nothing left to fight with. Squishy and his friend are on our side now, and Clemont just destroyed the last Mega Evolution cannon. What else does he have?"

"I got a bad feeling about this Ash. Lysandre has amassed a large amount of Mega Evolution energy already, and according to my holocaster, he hasn't even used half of it. He must have retreated to improvise his plan."

Ash tried to remain optimistic, but deep inside, he knew Alain was right. Lysandre could've just used the energy extractor to put them under his control, but he instead chose to throw himself over the edge of Prism Tower.

An explosion could be heard in the distance, followed by the cries of two massive legendary Pokémon. Xerneas and Yveltal could be seen attacking each other in the southern half of the city. Diancie could be seen helping Palkia and Dialga by acting as a shield for them and reflecting Hoopa Unbound's dangerously strong projectile attacks.

Ash turned to Alain, who was deep in thought. Alain closed his eyes and tried to remember the exact location of Lysandre's hideout. His eyes suddenly shot open. "Mairin! I know where she is!"

"Great! Let's have a quick trip to the Pokémon Center and then head off for Geosenge Town!" Ash unzipped his bag and fed Greninja an Oran Berry. Alain sprayed Charizard's back with a potion, and the two trainers then headed off for the Pokémon Center. As the two of them neared the entrance, Serena dashed out and tackled Ash.

"You idiot! Why did you do that?"

Ash turned to see Brock sweatdrop and shrug his shoulders. "U-um…" Ash tried to respond.

"Well?"

"W-well, I kinda saw Alain in a b-battle with Lysandre, and he was having a rough time, s-so I decided to help him out?"

When Ash continued to stutter, Serena's eyes softened. She then gave him a quick kiss. "I forgive you, but don't you dare think of doing something like that again. Do you know how worried I was?"

Brock chuckled, as an image of a panicking Serena running circles around the center flashed into his mind. He then took Ash and Alain's Pokeballs to heal their Pokémon. They had been through a lot, and Brock knew that they had to be in tip top form to combat whatever Lysandre was planning. As everyone entered the center, they noticed a certain blonde inventor with kneeling beside his invention. The tears were flowing freely now. Beside him was Clembot, lifeless, and bearing a massive scar that bore into its chest. Ash slowly approached the boy.

"Clemont?"

"I-I'm OK guys," he whispered softly. "I-I can fix him, but his memory w-will be…."

Ash walked over to his friend and lay a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's OK Clemont. As soon as this is over, we can fix him and get him back to the gym. Maybe he will eventually remember us." He said as he gave him a toothy grin. Clemont smiled and stood up.

"Where's Bonnie?"

"She ran off to find Zygarde with Blaziken-Mask," Serena replied.

"Is she safe?"

"She's got Gary and Blaziken-Mask. There's nothing to worry about," Brock calmly stated. Ash's eyes widened in shock. "Gary's here?!"

"Wasn't he that bully in the summer camp we went to when we were kids Ash?" Serena inquired, curious as to why the name Gary sounded so familiar.

"He did. He was the professor's grandson. He always said we were girlfriend and boyfriend. Don't worry about him though. He's changed. I wonder if he'll be surprised to see me here," Ash chuckled. Serena put her hand over her blue ribbon and blushed at the thought of seeing Gary with a look that said "I knew it" again. She had only faintly remembered him from her childhood, but Ash said he had changed. Maybe there really was nothing to worry about. She then slipped her hand into Ash's and asked where they would be going.

"Geosenge Town. Mairin and Chespie were relocated to the facility there when the attack started. We should get there in a few hours if we're riding Charizard."

Ash felt Serena's grip on his hand tighten. " _Oh yeah. I forgot she was afraid of heights."_ Ash turned his head to face her. He then lightly squeezed her hand. "Hey, it's alright Serena. Charizard is safe to ride. I'll go with you, just in case you're scared, OK?" Serena smiled.

"OK."

* * *

Bonnie had finally caught up to Squishy, who stopped in front of the exhausted Z2. Z2 weakly raised its head to Squishy. "What are you doing with these despicable humans?! Don't you know that they are the same ones who tried to destroy this world? Have they gotten you under their control?"

Squishy took a step forward. "These are not the ones who are responsible for the attempted destruction of this world. I learned on my journey that there are two types of people. The first are like Lysandre and Team Flare. They desire power and only power. They will go to great extents to achieve their dreams, and often have little regard for Pokémon and other humans. The second are like Ash and his friends. They see Pokémon as friends. They train with them, battle with them, and increase the bond between them. A trainer and his Pokémon are inseparable. These people will take great risk in keeping their loved ones safe. These humans are not like Team Flare!"

Z2 shot a cold stare at Squishy. "When will you ever learn?" Bonnie, who had heard all of their conversation, slowly approached Z2.

"Hey there Squishy number 2! You must be Squishy's best friend, besides me of course. I'm not here to harm you Squishy number 2, honest! I'm here to help!" She then noticed that Z2 was looking very tired. "Here Squishy number 2, you can sleep in my bag for now." She picked up a squirming Z2 and gently placed it in her bag. "There you go! That wasn't so hard right?"

Z2 sighed in defeat. The girl was certainly an interesting one. Whether it wanted to or not, Z2 started to get grow drowsy, and quickly fell asleep in Bonnie's comfortable bag.

"We should get back to the Pokémon Center guys. It's too dangerous out here in the open, even without the Zygarde roots. Xerneas and Diancie are still fighting off Hoopa and Yveltal. If we get hit by one of those Pokémon, we're done for," Gary stated. Blaziken-Mask nodded. "Let's get going Bonnie."

* * *

Xerneas had finally managed to land a solid hit on Yveltal with MoonBlast, but the dark Pokémon was quick to recover its lost energy by attacking civilians with Oblivion Wing. Yveltal flew high into the air and struck Xerneas with a Steel Wing, but the Fairy Pokémon was quick to attack with Horn Leech. Then Xerneas planted its hooves into the ground and began to absorb power. Yveltal quickly charged up its strongest Oblivion Wing and fired. By this time, Xerneas had completely absorbed all of its power and struck Yveltal down with MoonBlast. The massive Y shaped legendary dropped down on the ground, struggling to get up. Xerneas, who was not willing to kill a defenseless Pokémon, bounded past it and towards Diancie.

Diancie wasn't as successful as Xerneas in her battle. Even in her Mega Evolved form, her reflective barrier could only last so long. The barrier continued to wither away, as Hoopa continuously attacked. With great force, the magical barrier shattered, causing Dialga and Palkia great alarm. It was too strong for them. As a last resort, Dialga and Palkia each fired off Spacial Rend and Roar of Time at the immense Pokémon, while Diancie unleashed her strongest Diamond Storm. The attacks combined were enough to drive off Hoopa, causing great relief to many of the onlookers. Diancie, however, had taken a great strain in the battle, and collapsed just as Xerneas arrived.

* * *

 **That finishes this chapter guys. Thanks for staying with me this far. To put things into perspective, I'm done a third of my story. I hope you guys are enjoying it so far! I can't believe we hit 56 follows in three weeks! Let's see if we can hit one hundred in three more! Thanks for your support guys, and I'll see you later!**


	14. Aerial Showdown

Ash and his friends had finished their preparations for the trip to Geosenge Town, and after a quick rest, they were ready to fly. Ash and Alain both released their Charizards. The two fire types were expecting a battle, and grunted in confusion when no enemies were in sight. Ash walked up to his Charizard.

"Hey buddy. Today we need you for something either than battling, OK? We need you to take us to Geosenge Town. Team Flare has a base stationed there, and Alain's friend is stuck. We're going to break her out, so the sooner you get us to Geosenge, the sooner you can have your battle, OK?"

Charizard roared in approval, and then proceeded to scorch Ash's face with a Flamethrower.

"Some things never change, don't they, Ash?" Brock smiled.

"Heh he. Nope!"

Serena was startled by Charizard's sudden outburst, and quickly asked if Ash was OK. She sighed in relief when she found out it was a regular thing, but then grew frightened at the prospect of riding such a terrifying beast. Ash squeezed her hand gently. "It's OK. He doesn't harm people."

Charizard glanced at the scared girl and took a step toward her. Serena hid behind Ash, but slowly made her way to the massive creature. "H-hi Charizard…"

Charizard grinned and was quick to allow her to pet it. He then drooped his head and nuzzled her affectionately. Serena giggled. " _I wonder why Pokémon love her so much,"_ Ash thought to himself, as the memory of Rhyhorn stampeding towards her.

"You guys should get going. The quicker you get to Geosenge, the quicker we can fix this," Brock interrupted. Alain nodded.

"Are you going to remain here Brock?" Clemont asked the Pewter City gym leader. The Pokémon doctor turned to face the young inventor.

"I have to. Nurse Joy can't treat all of the injured all at once," Brock explained. "I'll come and join you after I'm done with the treatment of the wounded. It's a promise."

"Awesome! As a fellow gym leader, I can't wait for us to have a battle! We may have the type disadvantage, but I have learned from Ash to think outside the box. When I see you again, we'll have a battle!"

"Guys, we should really get going now. It'll be harder to see at night," Alain said impatiently.

"Right. See you later Brock! Don't forget our battle as well!"

The four of them then climbed onto the two Charizard, with Ash and Serena on one, and Clemont and Alain on the other. Clemont was not going to admit it, but he was scared to death of flights. At the same time, he tried to look brave and did not hold onto Alain. Serena, on the other hand, apparently didn't really mind holding onto Ash as tightly as she could. Ash smiled.

"Ready?"

"Mhm."

Ash's Charizard lifted off of the ground and outstretched its wings. At first, it struggled, unaccustomed to having to carry such a heavy load on its back, but gradually became more comfortable. Alain's Charizard was quick to take the lead. "Follow me guys!" he called out. Clemont's eyes were shut tight, and he had his Aipom arm extended around Charizard's belly, using it as some sort of restraint to keep him from falling off. Alain chuckled. Never in his life had he seen someone so terrified of heights. Then again, he hadn't even seen Serena yet. He turned his head and saw Serena, with her arms clutching the back of Ash's jacket tightly. Her eyes were half closed, with part of her wanting to look at the scenery that Kalos had to offer, and the other part reminding her that her first priority was her survival. Slowly she managed to look down, and was shocked at the natural beauty of the region. Even though the city itself was marred with scars of the recent incident, the other surrounding towns seemed untouched. Ash turned to look at her.

"Doing OK back there?" he asked rhetorically.

Serena just smiled and nuzzled her face into Ash's back. Ash was startled at her boldness, but recovered quickly. But all good things come to an end, and Alain shouted to Ash.

"Ash, look ahead," he said shakily.

Ash turned. In front of him was a trio of Skarmory, with a Team Flare admin on each of their backs. Next to them flew several Crobat. "Looks like you'll be able to battle earlier than you thought, huh," he said to his partner.

"Charrrrrizarddd…"

Alain was the first to move. "Thunder Punch!"

The flame Pokémon quickly obeyed, knocking out two Crobat with his attack. Ash turned back to his Charizard. "Now it's our turn buddy. Flamethrower!"

"Charizardddd!" It charged up the deadly attack and fired at a Skarmory. The Pokémon swiftly swooped below the attack and countered with a Steel Wing, hitting Charizard in the chest. This in turn knocked it off balance. Serena held on tightly to Ash, but slowly felt her arms slipping. Charizard quickly recovered and knocked down its opponent with Slash. The admin was quick to leap off of his mount and parachute down to the ground below and quickly retreated. Alain noticed that the Skarmory weren't attacking him; only the Crobat would dare to attack it. With this in mind, Alain moved behind Ash and dived down towards the ground. Clemont shrieked. "WHY ARE WE DOING THISSSSSS?!"

"Hang on tight Clemont!"

"I'M TRYIINNNGGGG!"

Meanwhile, Ash was struggling to keep up with Team Flare's highly coordinated attacks. Another Crobat zipped ahead of Charizard. It quickly turned and hit it in the face with Sludge Bomb. Charizard roared in pain, before blasting it away with Flamethrower. The Crobat, however, was merely a distraction, as the second Skarmory struck Charizard with a Flash Cannon. It narrowly dodged, but the sudden maneuver caused Serena to lose her grip on Ash, and she began to slip.

"ASHH!"

Ash gasped. "Serena NOO!" As she fell, Ash did the exact thing he did to Pikachu on the Prism Tower. He leaped off of Charizard and dove down to catch the falling girl that meant so much to him, as Alain looked on in shock. "Charizard, catch her!" he called out. Before it could react, the final Skarmory hit it in the gut with Steel Wing. Charizard was ready, however, and its fist, crackling with electricity, connected with its face.

Ash continued to fall, gradually catching up to Serena. "ASH!" she yelled, tears forming in her eyes. Ash grabbed her and gripped her tightly. Both of them closed their eyes, accepting their fate. As they neared the ground, the cry of a familiar Pokémon was heard.

"PIDGAWWWWWW!" A majestic avian Pokémon appeared, resembling a bird of prey. Ash's Pidgeot had returned. The massive bird dove down and caught Ash and Serena. "Pidgawww!" It cried.

"Pidgeot! You came back!" Ash shouted happily, before giving it an affectionate pat on the back. "Go get em! Hurricane!" The giant bird lifted his head upwards and shot a beam of energy into the air. The energy began to swirl into a violent hurricane, effectively wiping out the rest of the enemies. Clemont watched in awe. All of Ash's Pokémon were so well trained, and on top of that, they were much larger than their usual species, a sign of how well trained it was. He really was full of surprises. Alain and Clemont finally made it to Geosenge Town. Clemont peeled himself off of Charizard and sighed in relief at the sight of solid ground. Ash and Serena landed soon after. They dismounted Pidgeot and thanked it for the save. The Pokémon gave a shrill cry, before heading off to scout the area on Ash's command. He then released Talonflame.

"Talonflame, I need you to locate Bonnie and bring her to Geosenge Town. Can you do that for me buddy?"

"Tallonnnnnn!"

As Talonflame flew off, Pidgeot located an entrance and returned to Ash. Together, the four trainers headed off to rescue Mairin and Chespie, with Alain leading the way. When they got to the entrance, Alain made quick work of the guards surrounding the area, while Clemont hacked into the security terminal. The door slowly lifted, and the four of them entered the facility.


	15. Prison Break

Dialga and Palkia were exhausted with their battle against Hoopa, who seemed unfazed by the two attacks. Hoopa took this chance to finish off the two, as Diancie was still struggling to stand back up after taking too much damage. Dialga and Palkia stood in front of her, ready to protect the princess at all costs. Xerneas had made it in time, and just as Hoopa fired off a massive Shadow Ball, it head butted it in the chest, sending the mischief Pokémon flying back. Enraged, it attacked again with Shadow Ball. Xerneas leaped gracefully out of the way, before rushing at Hoopa and struck it in the face with a Horn Leech. Hoopa winced in pain. Its persistence was admirable, but ultimately led to his downfall. With a massive roar, it unleashed its signature Hyperspace Hole attack and teleported behind Diancie. The jewel Pokémon looked up and saw the massive creature ready its fist in preparation for the move. Diancie was paralyzed by fear, but as she opened her eyes, she saw a bright red light consume Hoopa. She turned her head to locate the source of the energy. Standing a few feet away from her were two humans. Baraz and Meray and escaped their prison cell and stolen the Prison bottle from Admin Matt after a heated battle. Baraz held the bottle high in the air, and allowed it to seal away the power of Hoopa. Hoopa cried in pain, before it reverted to its original form. The unconscious Pokémon was caught by Meray, who cradled it in her arms. The two of them then looked to the legendary Pokémon surrounding them. "We are forever in your debt. Thank you for freeing our friend. We have to go now though. It needs immediate attention. We'll meet again someday!" And with that, the two teenagers ran off with Hoopa in their arms.

* * *

Bonnie, Blaziken-Mask and Gary were on their way to the Pokémon center when a familiar face flew down to meet them.

"Tallonnnnnn!"

Bonnie looked up and saw her favorite of Ash's Kalos Pokémon. The magnificent falcon Pokémon swooped down and landed in front of her. "Talonflame!" she exclaimed. Gary quickly noted down what it was trying to relay. Puzzled, he released Fearow to try and translate for him. The two avian Pokémon were quick to communicate with each other, with Talonflame relaying its message from Ash, and Fearow translating it to Gary. The boy turned to face the others. "Lysandre has another facility that he retreated to. Ash and his friends need reinforcements there. Talonflame says we don't have too much time. We should get going as soon as possible."  
"He's right," Blaziken-Mask said thoughtfully. "Let's get going then!"

* * *

(Geosenge Town)

"We're in guys!" Clemont said excitedly. The other three trainers glanced at the inventor and ran to catch up to him. The door slowly lifted, revealing a long hallway that split off into four different paths. Alain took the lead and cautiously entered the facility, followed by Clemont. Ash turned to Serena.

"Ready?"

"Ready." Serena then entered after Clemont, with Ash following close behind her. Alain entered one of the rooms, revealing a large armory. Team Flare outfits lay scattered around on the floor, and various Pokeballs were strewn all over the table sitting in the corner of the room. Ash released Greninja to help sense if anyone was nearby. Pikachu suddenly leaped off of Ash's shoulder and adopted a battle stance. Confused, Alain took a torch from the armory and looked down the hallway. In front of them stood Celosia and Bryony.

"Well, if it isn't pretty boy. We were wondering when you would show up."

"Drapion, Sludge Bomb!" Bryony muttered. She wasn't as flirtatious as her counterpart, and wouldn't tolerate Alain's rebellious action as much as her sisters. Drapion fired a ball of filthy sludge at Alain, opting to take him out with one hit, but Alain quickly released Charizard and fainted the scorpion Pokémon with one Flamethrower. Bryony took a step back from shock. "Grrrr…. Drapion! Return!"

Alain turned to Ash and the others. "Find Mairin! I'll hold them off!" The others nodded. Ash ran down the hallway that led to another room, followed closely by Serena and Clemont. As they neared their destination, a familiar Pokémon appeared in front of them. "It's Malamar!" Ash shouted. "Look out!"

Malamar's eyes glowed bright blue, signifying it was trying to use its mind control powers. Clemonts eyes widened as he was hurled into the air. "Greninja, use Cut!" At that moment, Greninja unsheathed its blade of light and charged Malamar, knocking it off balance and causing it to lose focus. Clemont fell to the ground. Malamar was quick to react, and one of its tentacles glowed white hot. It then slung its arm forwards, releasing a wave of Psychic energy straight for an unsuspecting Serena. Ash leaped in front of her and blocked the attack with his own body. The raven haired trainer stumbled backwards from the force of the attack. "That's gonna leave a mark," he thought as he lifted the sleeve of his shirt, revealing a large injury. Serena ran over to him and tended to his wound. Clemont recovered from his fall and secretly had Bunnelby use Dig. He then released Luxray and ordered a Thunder Fang on the sinister Pokémon. It obeyed and dealt a large amount of damage to Malamar. Serena turned to Pikachu, who was standing next to her feet, and ordered it to finish things off with Thunderbolt. Pikachu jumped into the air and released its stored up energy into an electric projectile, striking Malamar in the chest. It slumped to the ground, but still struggled to get up. As it finally managed to stand, the ground beneath it shook and Bunnelby leaped out and fainted the exhausted Pokémon.

The three continued to advance to their destination. Ash walked with a slight limp, as the Psycho Cut had hit him in the shoulder and leg. Serena was quick to help him, and allowed him to use her as a crutch to help him walk. Clemont took the lead and entered the next room. There was a small bed and several medical supplies sitting on a desk that was positioned near the corner of the room. In the bed lay a sleeping Chespin, and next to it lay a young girl with dark red hair, dressed in green. Mairin looked up. She was confused. Why were these people coming to get her out? Clemont quickly explained the situation to the little girl. Upon hearing that Alain was busy fighting Team Flare, she panicked. "We have to find him!" She then ran down the hallway to locate him. As she ran past one of the rooms, the Chespin she was holding in her arms lifted into the air. "Chespie!"

Ash and Serena caught up, followed by a panting Clemont. They gasped as Chespin was lifted into the air and slowly moving into a room that appeared to be a control room. In the center of the room stood a large container filled to the brim with Mega Evolution energy. Chespie was floating towards it, and Clemont rushed over to the controls, trying to see if there was a way to halt the process, but it was in vain, as the unconscious Pokémon flew straight into the pillar of energy. The ground beneath them violently shook, as a large, half machine half organic creature began to appear from the Mega Evolution energy. The facility began to crumble. An alarm went off. "The megalith has been released. All Team Flare members must evacuate immediately. This is not a drill, I repeat. This is not a drill!"

Alain looked up. The megalith had appeared in front of him, and the enormous Zygarde roots lunged towards the shocked trainer. The roots were quickly suppressed by a Mega Blaziken and a Blastoise. Bonnie and the others had arrived. Gary turned and shouted to the others. "We gotta get outta here!"

Ash and the others had safely evacuated the area; however, they were not safe. Clemont looked around, hoping that a form of transportation was nearby. To his surprise, a Team Flare helicopter stood only a few feet away. He motioned to the others. "There's a helicopter over there! We can use it to get out of here!"

Mairin spoke up. "Where's Alain?!"

As she spoke, four figures could be seen barely escaping the facility. Ash waved frantically to them. Bonnie saw Ash and quickly pointed the others towards him. They rushed over as the megalith behind them roared. The facility it was trapped in collapsed behind it. Bonnie, Blaziken-Mask , Gary and Alain mounted Gary's Fearow and Alain's Charizard as quickly as possible. Ash, Clemont, Serena and Mairin all got into the helicopter and evacuated the area. As Ash looked behind him, he saw the megalith give out a might roar, before it turned towards Anistar City. The battle was far from over.


	16. All or Nothing

The helicopter carrying Ash and his friends took off after the megalith. Beside them flew Gary, Bonnie, Alain and Blaziken-Mask on Gary's Fearow and Alain's Charizard. The eight of them each shared one feeling: determination. They all knew that the fate of the Kalos region was lying in their hands. Their Pokémon stood by their side, ever ready to help their trainers. As they neared the advancing megalith, Clemont scanned it with one of his contraptions he kept in his bag. The image that it created showed a very large amount of mega evolution energy that was encapsulated in a mold that looked very similar to Zygarde. He guessed that Team Flare had created this monstrosity just in case their mind control weapon was not strong enough to keep Zygarde docile. However, he noticed that there was a faint heat reading radiating from the very core of the megalith. Surprised, he zoomed in. In the center of the megalith lay Chespie, trapped by the energy surrounding it. Mairin glanced over the gym leader's shoulder and was horrified to see her poor Pokémon being used as the core of this lethal weapon. Her eyes began to tear up, but she quickly brushed them away, instead replacing her sorrow with pure determination. She was going to get Chespie back. Ash opened the door of the helicopter once it had gotten ahead of the megalith. He then released Talonflame, Noivern, Pidgeot, Sceptile and Greninja. Pikachu leaped off of his trainer's shoulder and stood beside his fellow comrades.

"Pidgeot, I'm going to have Sceptile ride on your back OK?"

"Pidgawww!"

"Greninja, I need you to get in close on my command. The rest of you, give it all you got!" the raven haired trainer shouted amidst the loud noise of the helicopter. Serena then released Braixen to help support the others, while Clemont released his own Pokémon to help protect Braixen. The four Pokémon gave off a battle cry.

" _This is it. Our final battle."_ Ash thought to himself, before ordering his attacks.

"Pidgeot, Hurricane! Sceptile! Support with Leaf Blade! Noivern, Dragon Claw! Talonflame, Flame Charge! Pikachu! Get up on top of Noivern and use Thunderbolt!"

As the five Pokémon charged at the megalith in front of them, giant Zygarde roots began to erupt seemingly out of nowhere. The vines rushed towards them and quickly ensnared them, preventing their movement. Seeing this, Gary leaped off of Fearow and called out Blastoise. Pointing his finger at the creature ahead of them, he ordered an attack. "Hydro Pump!" Mega Blaziken then jumped off to join in on the fight, protecting Blastoise from any approaching Zygarde roots. The powerful blast of water freed Ash's Pokémon, but the megalith kept on summoning more roots. Meanwhile on top of Charizard, the two Squishys were silently watching the battle.

"Why do they fight in vain?" Z2 exclaimed.

"They do not fight in vain. Each of them has a dream, a purpose. Seeing the very world where their dreams can be fulfilled destroyed drives them, motivates them to press onward. As long as humans have hope, they won't give up," Squishy replied. Z2 turned back to the battle, awe and wonder present in his little eyes.

* * *

"Look out Talonflame!" Ash called out as the bird of prey rolled left, narrowly avoiding an ambushing root. The battle had taken a toll on all of the Pokémon's bodies, and they were now reacting slightly slower than usual. Blaziken eventually lost focus and was trapped by three of the roots. With its main protection gone, both Gary and Blastoise were suspended in the air, held fast by several more. Noivern and Pikachu quickly dived down to rescue them, but Noivern was struck by another root, knocking Pikachu off balance and flinging it off his back. The roots than rushed at Noivern and caught it in a vice grip.

"Pikachu, Repeated Iron Tail!" Ash called out. Pikachu's tail glowed a bright grey hue as he executed the move, spiraling downwards. The roots could not get it, as they were destroyed by Iron Tail, but as it neared the ground beneath it, the roots shot up and strangled the poor mouse. Meanwhile Pidgeot had also gotten caught in the endless mess of roots and was crying out for help. Sceptile cut it loose with Leaf Blade, but by then it had fainted. Seeing this, Sceptile leaped onto an incoming root and ran down it, running its blades through it. It leaped from root to root, slicing away at its defenses and clearing an opening for Greninja to strike its vulnerable chest.

After recalling Pidgeot, Ash took the opportunity to synchronize. " _Let's do this!"_

The torrent of water disappeared, revealing Ash Greninja. It leaped off the helicopter and ran up the root that attacked it, before leaping to the next. The megalith caught sight of what it was trying to do, and tried to block it by forming an X with its roots, but it realized one root was severed in half, courtesy of Sceptile. The Grass type closed the gap between it and its opponent and slashed at its vulnerable spot. Enraged, the megalith swatted Sceptile away, but as it did so, Greninja destroyed the root and hurled a massive Water Shuriken straight for its chest. The Shuriken, instead of breaking through, remained embedded in its chest. Greninja's eyes widened, before it was caught by the vine and thrown into the ground. Ash grit his teeth. He was running out of ideas. Clenching his fists, he realized that he was powerless to stop the monster. Serena looked on in worry upon seeing most of Ash's Pokémon tired and exhausted from the fight. If they didn't find a way to destroy it, then all would be in vain, and the lives of many would be ended. The situation was grim. Ash shut his eyes and entered a deep thought. After pondering for a bit, his eyes shot open. "We're never gonna give up guys!" he shouted while pumping a fist.

Greninja seemed to hear Ash's words. Its eyes also opened and it quickly spun around and around while using Cut at the same time, freeing itself from its bondage. As Ash looked down, he could barely see a blue blur destroy the roots trapping his comrades and together they stood in front of the megalith. The creature roared, before its roots glowed a bright green. The severed roots began to regenerate quickly, and soon they were as if nothing had even touched them. Ash turned away. There was no way they could take it down. As he was about to give up hope, he heard the voice of an all too familiar champion. "We stand together!" a feminine voice called out. As the eight friends looked ahead of them, they saw Diantha, along with all of the Kalos region's gym leaders.

* * *

 **Sorry for the late upload guys. I have exams to study for. Anyway, did you catch the Fire Emblem Awakening reference? PM me if you did. I probably won't upload on Tuesday, so sorry in advance. I'll see you soon guys!**


	17. A Reawakening

The large group of Pokémon trainers stood between Anistar City and the megalith, each intent on preventing it from reaching its destination. In front of them stood the loyal Pokémon, ready to give their lives to halt the advance of the monster ahead. Ash and his friends stood at the front of the group.

"We're not going to give up till it's over! Let's do this guys!" Ash shouted. The Pokémon trainers all released their Pokémon and ordered attacks. Alain took to the front of the group and rushed towards the megalith, with Ash following close behind. He was adamant on saving Mairin's Chespin, who was the main reason he collected all the mega evolution energy in the first place. Running at full speed, with Charizard flying beside him, he reached the base of the megalith and used the roots to reach its chest. Ash, Pikachu and Greninja followed behind the mega evolution trainer, destroying any plant roots that came up behind the duo to catch them by surprise. As the trainers began to climb up the megalith, Charizard, Greninja and Pikachu spread out, preventing their friends capture with Dragon Claw, Cut and Iron Tail. The roots were soon too much for them, however, as they as well as their trainers. Struggling to break free from their captivity, Ash soon began to feel sleepy, due to the effect the roots had on humans. Alain felt it too, but successfully resisted its effects for a short while, before he began to grow drowsy as well.

"Get up Ash! Alain! Snap out of it!" Voila shouted as she approached the tired trainers on the back of her Vivillon.

"Solar Beam on the roots!"

The attack successfully freed Alain and Ash, but Viola was knocked off of her Pokémon by a vine that appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Luckily, she was saved from apparent death from a certain rock type trainer, who caught her in his arms, before commanding his Tyrunt to use Crunch on a root that was rapidly advancing towards Alain. As Grant continued to fall, a Zygarde root caught onto his leg, preventing him from moving. He was stuck. The other gym leaders eventually followed, each lending their help to get the two trainers to their destination, and each of them suffered the same fate: in the vice grip of the Zygarde roots. Ash watched in horror as his friends plummeted to their deaths, only to be caught and trapped in the grip of the monster. The two pressed onward, eventually reaching the spot where the Water Shuriken was embedded. Its chest was blocked by several roots, but the three Pokémon made quick work of them. They then merged their attacks into a massive multicolored beam of energy and aimed for the chest. As the smoke cleared, a gaping hole in the megalith's chest was visible. Taking the opportunity, Ash and Alain jumped inside.

* * *

Serena and Mairin watched from the helicopter, both relieved that the duo had made it, but at the same time, concerned for their safety. Serena knew she couldn't bear it if Ash died inside the horrible machine, but as she looked back to the action, she realized something. The Ash she knew and loved would never give up, especially when he was this close. She watched on in worry, clutching her blue ribbon tightly.

* * *

Alain and Ash had entered the inside of the megalith. Ash turned to see their Pokémon standing beside him, and Greninja had its eyes shut, as if it were in deep concentration. The raven haired trainer closed his eyes as well, allowing Greninja to show him what he was seeing. Sharp, jagged crystals filled the area. In the center of it all lay Chespin, still unconscious. In front of the sleeping Pokémon stood various obstructions that prevented anyone from trying to steal its power source. Ash's eyes opened. This was not going to be easy.  
"Alain! I know where Chespin is! Follow me!" he called over his shoulder, before his eyes widened as a crystal suddenly lunged at him. Pikachu was prepared however, and struck it with Iron Tail. The destroyed crystal triggered an internal alarm, and the remaining crystals began to fall down on the intruders.

"Lead the way Ash!" Alain cried as he shielded himself from an incoming crystal. Greninja and Pikachu quickly stopped more crystals from harming the two trainers with Water Shuriken and Iron Tail, but were slowly tiring out. Ash looked back and saw that his Pokémon were exhausted. He knew that they wouldn't last too long if they kept moving at this slow of a pace. Alain noticed this as well, and he quickly picked up the pace, narrowly dodging several crystals aimed at his head. As the duo reached the center of the megalith, Ash was hit with a heavy blow to the chest. Greninja felt it too, and it fell to its knees. Pikachu looked back and rushed to his trainer. Alain continued to push onward, as he saw that this was the last chance to save Chespin. The mega evolution took a leap of faith towards the sleeping grass starter and pried it from the grip of the megalith. As he landed on the ground, however, he was knocked away by a sharp crystal, causing him to lose his grip on the Pokémon. Greninja's tongue made it in time to catch the fallen Chespin, and together, the two trainers and their Pokémon escaped the megalith as it collapsed behind them. Everyone was relieved to see that they were alright, and the freed trainers all looked at the crippled form of the megalith lying before them. They sighed in relief. The battle was finished. They had won. As they recalled their Pokémon, Diantha raised an eyebrow and took a very close look at the megalith. The monster was destroyed, but why did it seem so easy? As she continued to ponder, the light emanating from the center of the megalith reignited, and everyone turned. The massive creature had somehow lifted itself back up, and it was enraged. On top of the megalith stood a tall man with a golden eye cover and spiky orange hair. Lysandre had returned.


	18. The Wrath of a Legend

The tall figure standing atop of the collapsed megalith revealed himself to be indeed Lysandre. His appearance this time was much more intimidating however. Apart from his traditional black and red suit, he wore a golden gauntlet on his right hand. The gauntlet apparently controlled the megalith, evidenced from the megalith's struggle to stand up once again. A strange backpack was strapped to him, and out of it came three of the energy extractors, the same ones he had used to strip Ash and Greninja of their synchronization. His eyes were covered with strange crimson visor which gave him enhanced peripheral vision. Pointing a finger at Alain, he yelled at the top of his lungs.

"TRAITORRRR!"

The mega evolution trainer turned his head and saw the leader of Team Flare at the head of the megalith, glaring icily at him. Alain clenched his hand into a fist, while the other pointed an accusatory finger right back at him. "You caused all of this! It was your fault Chespin was hurt! You're preventing him from healing only because you want ME to do YOUR work! What's more is you deceived me! You lied to get what you wanted! In the end we're nothing but your pawns to control! You don't want a world where people and Pokémon can be happy. You want a world that pleases you and only you!" He shouted. Charizard stood next to him, enraged. As it heard the words of its trainer, the flame on its tail began to grow an even brighter blue. In anger, it rushed towards the menacing figure, teeth barred and flames gushing out of its mouth.

"CHARIZARRRRRDDDDD!"

Alain looked in shock as Lysandre disposed of Charizard by having the megalith fire a fully charged beam of mega evolution at the very Pokémon that had collected it. Seeing this, he ran as fast as he could towards the falling Pokémon, but Lysandre leaped in front of him and kneed him in the gut.

"Out of MY WAY!" Alain yelled, before punching the criminal leader in the face. The man responded with an uppercut to Alain's chin. The boy reeled backwards, but before he had time to recover, Lysandre had his energy extractors electrocute Alain with the energy collected from Ash and Greninja. He screamed in pain, writhing around on the ground. Diantha and the other gym leaders were quick to act, each pulling out their strongest Pokémon. Lysandre, however, had expected this, and pushed a button on his gauntlet. The megalith roared and unleashed a massive projectile of light towards the group. Valerie and Diantha were quick to set up a Reflect and Protect, but the attack tore through with ease. A huge explosion followed.

Serena, Clemont and Mairin watched from the helicopter in horror. As the smoke cleared, the gym leaders dropped down one by one. Gathering what strength they had left, they attempted to stand once again. Lysandre smirked. He pushed the button once again, but the megalith didn't seem to comply with the order. It stood there, completely still. As Ash managed to stand up, Greninja took off towards Lysandre. Ash watched in pride as the Ninja Pokémon pulled out his blade of light and sliced Lysandre's backpack in half, releasing Alain from his pain. The mega evolution trainer fell down, unconscious. Ash ran over to help him up, but he did not notice that the megalith had turned toward him. Ash turned to see the megalith charge up another attack. His eyes widened. It was over. The battle was lost. He grabbed Pikachu and adopted a defensive stance, trying to shield himself from the blast. As his eyes closed, the howl of two dogs were heard. The megalith, surprised, turned to the source of the noise. Lysandre's face paled when he saw the sight before him. Two Zygarde cores glared at him, each in their ten percent form. Z2 stepped forward. "We are Zygarde, the mythical Pokémon said to be awakened solely when the Kalos region was in crisis. We were awakened because of what Team Flare has done to this world. You have destroyed the lives of millions only because you saw them as pathetic. Stupid. Weak. There are people out there, just like you, with their own hopes and dreams! Why would you take away their dreams for your own contentment? If you intend to take the lives of countless innocent humans and Pokémon and destroy the dreams of others, we are afraid we cannot let you pass. You will be ended. Now."

The two Zygarde stood beside each other and each called out to the surrounding cells. Bright flashes of green sparked from all directions and flew towards the duo. Soon all that could be seen of the two Zygarde was a bright green light, almost blinding Ash. As the cells surrounded the two Pokémon, the light engulfed them and they changed into their 100% form. As the light exploded into a shower of green, a massive legendary Pokémon appeared before them. Bonnie watched on in awe. The creature had a large humanoid body, with a long tail that resembled Zygarde's 50% form. Several protrusions surrounded its head, giving it a regal look. Its face had three white hexagonal marks on it, with one in the middle of its forehead as well as a line dashed through it, and two that looked somewhat like eyes. It had two wings on each shoulder, and sharp claws were now present on its hands and feet.

"Who knew you would be hiding yet another form from us?" Lysandre muttered under his breath. He then ordered an attack on it. Ash quickly realized that the only way Lysandre could control it was by using that golden gauntlet. He motioned for the others to direct their attacks on the device. Diantha and a few of the stronger gym leaders still stood, and weakly complied. Lysandre was quick to dodge, but was literally shocked when Pikachu released a Thunderbolt on him. As he fell, Greninja destroyed the gauntlet with one swift strike of his Water Shuriken. Lysandre fell backwards.

Zygarde had taken to the skies and released a super-charged Dragon Pulse right at the megalith. The attack set off a massive explosion, revealing a crippled megalith that was struggling to counter with a move of its own. Before it could fire, Zygarde had already closed the gap between them and punched it with one of its giant fists. The megalith roared in pain and its head flew back, throwing Lysandre off balance. The man groped around for something to hold onto, but froze when he came face to face with the Order Pokémon.

Bonnie was cheering on in the background, despite the fatigue that had overcome almost all of the group. "Show them what you're made of Squishy! Use your signature move!" Bonnie yelled while she pointed at the megalith, pretending that Squishy was her Pokémon and she was in a battle. To her surprise, Zygarde flew up high into the sky. She could barely manage out the faint figure of her friend, before it crashed down on the megalith. It then flew back up and braced itself for its final move. Unleashing its stored up energy, a turquoise hue manifested in front of Zygarde's chest. The ball of light grew to a fearful size, and it kept growing. As the sphere of energy was fully charged, it released the attack on the megalith. A green beam of light flew out and towards the already crippled megalith. The attack razed everything it touched, causing a huge explosion. Zygarde wasn't done however, and it moved the beam diagonally to the lower left and then to the right abruptly, forming a large Z on its target. The megalith was completely destroyed by the lethal attack, and Lysandre, who was on top, was found, his lifeless body hurled into the air with the remains of the megalith. Zygarde turned to face the group of trainers and reverted back to its normal form. Diantha smiled as the sun began to shine once again. The battle was over. They had won once and for all. Ash turned to the helicopter hovering above him and shouted.

"We never do give up till it's over!"

* * *

 **Hi guys! That ends the first third of this story! Next up is the Elite Four Challenge, with some fluff between Ash and Serena along the way. Thank you so much for 70 follows! I look forward to writing the next chapter, but right now I need a break from exams. They're done now though, so I'll probably upload once a day as usual. See you next time!**


	19. Aftermath

The sun shone brightly over the Kalos region once again as the two Zygarde transformed back into their core forms. Bonnie in particular was smiling uncontrollably. Her little friend had helped save Kalos, and she took great pride in him. The other trainers began to stir from unconsciousness. Looking around, they saw the destroyed megalith and a crushed Lysandre underneath. Instantly taking this as a sign of great victory, they cheered. The helicopter hovering above them descended and out came Clemont, Serena and Mairin. All of them wore huge smiles on their faces. The battle was over. Clemont rushed over to Bonnie and questioned if she was OK. Mairin took off to help Alain, who was still struggling to stand. Tears flowed from her eyes after he gave her the sleeping Chespin. "Thank you so much Alain!" she said before wrapping her arms around him. Alain simply smiled. He wouldn't have to collect mega evolution energy anymore now that he had finished his goal. Serena could be seen in the distance with a certain raven haired trainer. She embraced him tightly, before laying a kiss on his lips. Ash smiled and held her close. As the group celebrated, the two Zygarde found an opportunity to slip away from everyone. Quietly they left. Bonnie looked around her, searching for Squishy so that she could thank him.

"Squishy?"

Squishy turned to face the little girl. Both of them looked at the other in silence. Then, after a few moments, Squishy spoke for the first time to Bonnie.

"Bonnie. I was so glad to have met you. Even though at first, I resented you, you still cared for me and protected me from Team Flare. Thanks to you and your friends, I now know that humans have goals. Dreams. Aspirations. They will fight with all they have to protect those they love, and cherish the bonds with their Pokémon. I don't think I would have understood that if I hadn't met you. Thank you for teaching me that," he said softly while smiling.

Bonnie knelt down and picked up the little Pokémon and gave it a tight hug. "Squishy… the legend said that when the order in Kalos is restored, it goes into a deep slumber… is that true?" she asked sadly. She knew that if this were true, she would not be able to see Squishy again. Squishy turned its head to the side, refusing to look Bonnie in the eyes.

"…yes Bonnie. It is true…"  
Bonnie looked away, disheartened at the thought of leaving her friend. With tearful eyes, she requested one last thing from it.

"We'll see each other again someday, and we'll have new adventures together! I'm going to become a Pokémon trainer, and I'm going to go on a journey to find you, wherever you are!"

Squishy beamed. "I'll be looking forward to it Bonnie!"

As the two Zygarde started to disappear, Bonnie called out to Squishy one last time. "I love you Squishy!"

"This isn't goodbye Bonnie…Until we meet again!"

The others watched in silence as the two Pokémon vanished from their sight. They were sad that Zygarde had left, but it didn't stop the overwhelming feeling of joy they all shared. Gary had walked over to Ash and Serena. "I knew you were going to be a couple ever since summer camp Ashy-Boy!" Ash rolled his eyes. Serena blushed. Same old Gary all right. "What brings you here Gary?" he calmly asked. The spiky haired teenager shrugged his shoulders. "Research. Gramps wanted me to examine mega evolution and file a report for him. Lazy old man, I tell ya. Anyway, was the transformation that happened in the battle Mega Evolution's doing? I didn't know you had a keystone."

"I don't. Our transformation is different than mega evolution according to Professor Sycamore. He apparently share a strong bond, and during battle, each of us can feel what the other is feeling. When we are in complete synchronization with each other, the transformation occurs."

"Interesting. I'm gonna have a chat with Brock about this. Maybe he's heard of something that fits what you described."

"Suit yourself."

After saying his goodbyes, Gary took out Fearow's Pokeball and released it. He then hopped onto its back and flew off to Lumiose City. Diantha then approached the raven haired trainer. "Well, Ash, this is where we have to part ways. I'll be looking forward to our official battle. But I'll have you know, I'm not going to go easy on you," she said with a wink.

"Thanks Diantha, I'll be training hard for that. For now though, I think we all need a break," he chuckled.

"Right. Well I'll be on my way. I have another movie to shoot," she said as she boarded the helicopter that had come to pick her up.

"After all that happened?" Ash asked, raising an eyebrow. The champion simply chuckled.

"I'm a busy woman you know."

"Bye Diantha!"

As she left, the other Gym Leaders began to leave one by one after they had wished Ash good luck on his upcoming battle with the Elite Four. Soon, only the four friends were left, along with Alain and Mairin. Ash turned to Alain.

"What you gonna do now Alain?"

The mega evolution trainer looked down at his keystone, looking at the reflection of himself in the orb. He looked back to Ash. "I don't know Ash… I'll think about it," he said solemnly. Mairin had finished her chat with Bonnie and skipped over to Alain, holding Chespin, who had only just woke up.  
"Chespie's awake Alain! He's awake!" she shouted joyfully as she tugged on his pant leg. Alain looked down at the girl in front of him. In her arms was Chespin, who was now fully awake, and very confused. He smiled to himself. A thought then crept into his mind. " _I know what I'm going to do now."_

As Alain and Mairin left in the helicopter, Ash and his friends were pleasantly surprised to see two legendary Pokémon in front of them. Xerneas and Diancie had finally found Ash. Bonnie and Serena were quick to run over to Diancie, who reverted back to her normal form. As they indulged in idle chit chat, Ash looked up to Xerneas. "Could I ask one last favor from you?" The legendary nodded.

"Could you restore the region to what it looked like before this happened?"

Xerneas nodded once again and closed its eyes. It then gave off a shrill cry and a light burst forth from it. Xerneas released the ball of light into the sky, and as it touched the ground, the city and everything surrounding it was restored.

The evil Zygarde roots had disappeared, and any damage done to the surrounding buildings was restored. The people, no longer fearing for their lives, slowly ventured out into the open. After a short celebration, they returned to their normal routines. Diancie then came up to Ash. "It's time for us to say goodbye Ash. It was nice to see you again," she said sadly. Ash then remembered something. He ran after the two legendaries and whispered something into Diancie's ear. Diancie was surprised at first, but smiled and nodded. Ash thanked her again and waved goodbye.

"Ready to go home guys?" Ash called out to his friends.

"Yeah, but how? Alain and Mairin took the helicopter," Bonnie pouted.

"Not to worry guys, I have just the thing. The future is now, thanks to science!" Clemont proudly stated. He pulled out a small device that attached to his back and pressed the on button.

"Whoa, a jetpack!" Ash exclaimed, stars in his eyes.

"Watch it explode, just you wait," Bonnie muttered, unimpressed. Serena chuckled, and lightly jabbed Bonnie in the side.

But Bonnie was right, and as soon as Clemont had reached a certain altitude, the jetpack fritzed out and sent him flying.

"There he goes," chuckled Bonnie.


	20. Preparations

A few hours later, the four friends arrived at the Pokémon Center tired and hungry. Brock was at the door to greet them.

"Well? What happened?"

Ash looked around at his friends. "Where do I start?" he chuckled nervously, with his hand behind his head. The four of them then proceeded to explain to the Pokémon doctor the outcome of the battle. Brock listened intently while patching up an injured Vulpix. As they finished their tale, Brock stood up.

"So Team Flare has been destroyed?"

"To put into your terms, then yes," Clemont stated.

Brock was about to respond, but was cut off by Nurse Joy. "Brock! You're needed in room 147!"

"Coming! See you guys later!" And with that, the Pokémon doctor dashed down the corridor.

"Wanna take a break guys?" Ash asked.

"Yes please! I'm so tireddddd," Bonnie whined.

"All right then. It's decided."

The group had settled down into their rooms, with Bonnie and Clemont in one room and Ash and Serena in the other. They each had had a bed, and a large table stood in the connecting room. Clemont took this time to cook a meal for the others, while Bonnie played with Pikachu and Dedenne. Ash fed some berries to his Pokémon to heal their wounds, while Serena released her Pokémon and proceeded to groom them. After a short while, Clemont called out to the others when dinner was ready, and together, the four enjoyed a peaceful meal. Their meal was interrupted, however, when someone knocked on the door. Confused, Ash opened the door. In front of him stood Brock.

"I'm free for the night. Mind if I come in? We have a lot of catching up to do."

"Sure thing!"

As the five friends continued their meal, Clemont spoke up. "So what Pokémon do you own Brock?"

"I am a rock type gym leader, so naturally I only own rock types. I have an Onix, a Rhydon, an Omastar, a Golem, an Aerodactyl, and a Kabutops. I also have a Croagunk, but I only use him in unofficial battles."

"Interesting, they're all from Kanto. I own several Pokémon, but in official gym battles, I use six Electric types. I have Luxray, Heliolisk, Jolteon, Ampharos, Magnezone, and an Electabuzz. In my battle with Ash, however, I was only allowed to use three Pokémon since he was new to the region, but when we rematch, I won't hold back," he grinned. Brock then turned to Ash.

"Hey Ash? You still have a battle with the Elite Four coming up right? Have you planned on which Pokémon you're using?"

"Hehe… No?" he scratched the back of his head once again. Everyone turned their attention to him in shock. Brock sighed. _Definitely_ same old Ash. Serena took out her map.

"How about we decide who you're going to face _first_ before we figure out who you choose?" she smiled. Ash was often too eager to battle, which prevented him from making smart decisions. Serena then unfolded a map from her backpack. Ash took out his Pokedex and tapped on his profile image. Upon opening up his inbox, he found the letter that gave the directions to the Elite Four.

"Okay so it says here that the closest Elite Four member is Drasna. Her challenge is located in Lavarre City, just north of here. The next closest would be Wikstrom, in Shalour City. Malva is located in Geosenge Town, and finally, Siebold is located in Coumarine City. What do you think Ash?" she asked.

Ash looked at the map. Lavarre City was definitely closer, but he also knew Serena had a performance that would take place in Shalour City, so he decided to go there instead. Standing up from his seat, he pointed to Shalour City. "How 'bout here?"

The others were surprised. "But Ash, if we go to Lavarre City first, we won't have to go north again. The other members are to the west," Clemont commented with confusion in his tone. Ash turned to face the blonde inventor. "I think we should deal with Drasna last. She apparently is a Dragon type trainer and the strongest of the Elite Four. If we can take out the other three, then we would've gained enough experience to face Drasna without a problem." The truth was, Ash knew his Pokémon could handle Drasna. He just had to think of an excuse to give so that his true intentions weren't revealed to the group. Brock stood up as well.

"How about we go to the PC and figure out who you're going to use in the battle against Wikstrom? After you've chosen, we can have a battle tomorrow morning," his friend requested. Ash grinned.

"Of course! We'll show you how strong we've gotten since you last saw us!"

"It won't be that easy for you Ash. Since we travelled in Sinnoh, I've gotten stronger too! Just you wait and see."

The two of them then went to the living room to decide which Pokémon to use. The others followed shortly after cleaning up the dishes. As they entered the room, they were surprised to see so many Pokémon in Ash's PC. "Exactly how many regions have you been to Ash?" Serena asked curiously.

"Let's see…. Four, five, six…. I've been through six," Ash replied, his eyes still glued to the screen. "How about Infernape, Quilava, Charizard, Tauros, Pikachu and Talonflame?" he asked Brock.

"Hmm, sounds good to me! Oh, and you're using Charizard right?"

"Yeah…Why?"

Brock dug into his pocket, apparently searching for something. His eyes lit up when he found the object, but no one seemed to notice. He pulled his hand out of his pocket, revealing a shining orb in his open palm. A mega stone. Ash's eyes widened.

"Where'd you get this?"

"I can't tell you, but I _can_ say that this is for your birthday coming up," Brock grinned, before attempting to wink at Serena. She could barely make out Brock's wink, but she assumed Ash hadn't found out that she gave it. Sighing in relief, she decided to get ready for bed. Bonnie soon followed after, and Clemont carried her to the other side of the room and tucked her in, before returning to the computer room. Together, the three of them continued to chat about Pokémon battles and strategies, with Ash and Brock filling Clemont in on the adventures they had together.

It was late. Clemont had gone to his bed, leaving Brock and Ash alone. They used this time to catch up on the adventures they had missed. Soon, the two got tired and Brock left shortly after, leaving Ash alone in the room.

The raven haired trainer quietly stepped into the shared room and looked out the window. He stood there, silent, contemplating about his success in Kalos. It would soon come to an end, however, and he knew that he would travel to another region. One thought continually bugged him. Would Serena join him? He certainly wanted her to, but he respected her dream to be Kalos Queen. She had to defend her title now, meaning that she would probably have to stay. Sighing, he decided to get some rest. Pikachu was already asleep on his bed, and it didn't take long for Ash to fall asleep.

* * *

A loud noise interrupted Serena's slumber. She shot straight up, looking around for Braixen's Pokeball. She frantically searched for her Pokeballs, but it was in vain. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the dark. In front of her stood Ash, his back turned to her. The sky was dark once again; it had turned to the same shade of red as when Team Flare had attacked. She cried out Ash's name. The raven haired trainer turned his face. His eyes were no longer the gentle brown she had come to love. Instead, they were replaced by blood red eyes. He turned his whole body to face her. "I did this… to… myself….Stay….a—away… Serena froze as Ash began to walk slowly towards her. His eyes seemed to glow in the dark of the night. He got closer, and closer until he brought out his Greninja and ordered it to use Cut. The Kalos starter leaped up in the air and pushed off a wall, bringing out his blade. Serena's back had reached the door, and she opened it quickly. As the door opened, she felt herself being pulled backwards. As she fell, she saw Clemont fighting the possessed Ash and saw his body thrown off into the abyss as well. Serena screamed as Bonnie too was thrown over the edge. "NO ASH!"

* * *

Serena shot out of bed and panted heavily. Beads of sweat began to form on her brow and she was visibly shaking. Quietly she got out of bed and went to the living room to get a drink. As the lights went on, she heard someone get out of bed and walk towards her direction. Her hands trembled on the glass she was holding. The figure groggily stepped into the kitchen. "Serena…?"

Serena shakily responded. "A—Ash…"

"What's wrong?"

"…" The honey blonde performer sniffled a bit, before breaking down into tears

Ash took a seat next to her. "Hey…it's all right." He knew exactly what was bothering her. He brought her into a comforting hug. "Bad dream?" Serena could only nod silently, tears still trickling down her cheeks.

"Want to talk about it?" The scared girl whimpered a few incoherent sentences into his ears. He quickly realized she was probably too scared to talk about it. Ash broke the hug and said gently "It's OK if you don't want to talk about it, but try to get some sleep. I'll stay with you for the night, OK?" Serena nodded, secretly overjoyed.

Ash quietly tucked Serena into her own bed, before crawling in as well and pulling over the covers. It didn't take long for Serena to wrap her arms tightly around the raven haired trainer. She then rested her head on his chest, already feeling drowsy. Ash placed one of his arms around her waist, and the other on the small of her back. He then gently kissed her forehead, causing her to coo snuggled into his chest and soon, she fell asleep, a smile on her face. Ash gently stroked her hair, before her body warmth caused him to feel drowsy as well. After a few moments, the raven haired trainer fell asleep, dreaming of his upcoming battles with the Elite Four.


	21. Time to Settle the Score, Ash!

The sun's rays peaked into the hotel room early the next morning, interrupting a certain honey blonde performer's peaceful sleep. Serena groggily opened one of her eyes, and consequently was blinded by the light that pierced through the window of her room. She blinked rapidly and tried to brush away the small tears that formed from her blinking, but found that her arm wouldn't budge. She opened her eyes fully to see what was restraining her. The sight made her smile. She was in Ash's arms, and the snoring trainer had cuddled her like she was his teddy bear. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks as she recalled the past night. A terrifying nightmare had kept her up, but Ash had decided to sleep with her to keep her company, and here he was now, holding her in his arms. Carefully she removed his arm from around her waist and proceeded to get out of bed. Little did she know however, that Ash had been awake for quite some time now, and that he was gently stroking her hair before she had woken up. He quickly brought his arm back around her and pulled her back into his embrace. Serena squeaked.

"Morning," he said softly into her ear.

"Ash? How long were you awake…?"

"Quite some time now. I'm hungry though; can we get something to eat?"

Serena chuckled. "Sure thing!"

The young couple got dressed and entered the living room. Clemont and Bonnie were there to greet them. They had taken the liberty to go downstairs and get some food for the sleeping pair. The two thanked the blonde twins and sat down with them for breakfast.

"Are you ready to battle Brock Ash? I've heard that he's world renowned as the Kanto regions strongest rock type trainer," Clemont asked. He was very excited for the battle that would take place after breakfast. The Lumiose inventor had been looking forward to someday meeting Brock ever since Ash had mentioned that the gym leader was his travelling companion on several of his journeys. Bonnie tugged on Ash's arm excitedly and jumped up and down.

"You have to show me all your cute Pokémon Ash! Clemont wouldn't let me stay up late, so I never even got to see how many you have!"

Ash grinned. She really did remind him of when he was younger. "Well Bonnie, I'll show you after I have my battle with Brock. I haven't battled with him since Sinnoh!"

"Sinnoh?! Wait Ash, which regions have you been to exactly?" Clemont asked, wide eyed.

"Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, and now Kalos. I made a lot of great friends and Pokémon there too." Ash then began to recall his favorite memories of each region, sharing with the others his past adventures. The others listened in awe of his adventures. "He's come a long way from the little kid who always fought with Pikachu," Serena thought to herself.

An hour had past. Breakfast was finished, and the group was preparing to go to the battlefield that was only a short walk away from the Pokémon Center. Ash had withdrawn his six Pokémon to combat Brock, and had put on his cap. Pikachu jumped onto his shoulder and uttered a happy squeal.

"Pika!"

"Morning buddy. Sleep well?"

"Chaaaaa….."

The four had reached the battlefield in less than two minutes. Brock was already standing at the opposite end of the field.

"Ready Ash?"

"You bet!"

Clemont, Bonnie and Serena all made their way to the sidelines to cheer for Ash. Clemont had taken his portable computer and was ready to take notes on the upcoming battle. Dedenne had climbed onto Bonnie's head to cheer its "brother" on, and Serena had Pancham released to see if he could learn anything from the battle that would help in his performances.

"All right Brock, you first!" Ash shouted from across the battlefield.

"Don't mind if I do! Aerodactyl, you're up!" he replied as he threw a Pokeball into the air. The large prehistoric pterosaur appeared in a flash of light and hovered in front of Brock.

"All right then, Hawlucha, I choose you!"

"Luchaaa!" Hawlucha cried as it was released. It gracefully landed on one knee and stood up, before bowing. He then finished off his "entrance" with a flex of his muscles. Bonnie stifled a giggle. "He's really pumped up isn't he?"

Clemont stood up and walked to the edge of the battlefield. "Battle begin!"

"We'll make the first move. Hawlucha, start off with Karate Chop!"

"Aerodactyl, use Stealth Rock!"

Aerodactyl scattered several sharp floating stones around the battlefield. Hawlucha had to be careful around the obstacles, or they would seriously hurt him in the long run. He rushed at the prehistoric Pokémon and leaped up into the air, before slamming an iron fist down on his opponents head. Aerodactyl was in momentary shock of the attack, but recovered quickly.

"Sky Drop!"

Aerodactyl bit Hawlucha's wing and flung him into the sky, before he shot up towards him. Hawlucha winced in pain from the attack, but was braced for impact as the pterosaur skyrocketed towards him. An idea drifted into Ash's mind as he ordered the next move. "Quickly, before he gets to you! Use Flying Press!"

Hawlucha understood what his trainer was trying to do, and obediently followed, spiraling downwards to meet his foe. Aerodactyl closed the gap and readied his claws to throw Hawlucha into the ground, but as it attacked, Hawlucha barreled left and landed safely on his feet. "High Jump Kick!" Aerodactyl looked down just in time to see the fighting Pokémon knee it in the gut, sending it flying backwards.

"Follow up with X Scissor!"

"Let him get in close, then counter with Crunch!"

Both of Hawlucha's fists, grew a greenish white as it advanced toward the falling Aerodactyl. As he narrowed in, he was surprised as Aerodactyl suddenly righted itself and bit his arm, causing him to lose focus. Aerodactyl took this opportunity to send him into the ground, and hurled him downwards, as if he were a small Rattata. Hawlucha fell to the ground and was injured from the Stealth Rock. Before he could recover, Aerodactyl had used Rock Slide on him. Ash looked on in worry.

"Look out! Use Karate Chop to send those stones right back at him!"

"Luchaa!" Hawlucha quickly deflected several stones back to his opponent, who countered with his own. Both were damaged from the attack, and a small explosion occurred, flinging debris everywhere. Aerodactyl frantically searched through the smoke for Hawlucha, but as it cleared, he was kneed once again by the nimble fighting type. Hawlucha knew that this was the time to finish him off, and eagerly awaited Ash's signal.

"Rock Slide, again!"

"All right Hawlucha, Rock Slide Climb, then use Flying Press!"

Both Pokémon readied their attacks and lunged at the other. As Aerodactyl fired off his Rock Slide at Hawlucha, the fighting type quickly gained speed and jumped onto a falling rock, using it to kick off to the next one. He eventually made it out of harm's way and then finished off the pterosaur with Flying Press.

"Aerodactyl is unable to battle! The winner is Hawlucha!" Clemont shouted.

Brock recalled his Pokémon. "Great job buddy, take a good rest. All right, Onix, come on out!"


	22. On the Road Again

"Onix, use Flash Cannon!"

"Ok Hawlucha, deflect with X Scissor!"

The giant rock snake Pokémon was quick to fire off a beam of energy at the rapidly advancing fighting type, who had his arms prepared to deflect the projectile. Hawlucha leaped into the air to avoid getting it and spiraled downwards while using X Scissor. Onix watched helplessly as Hawlucha landed a direct hit on it. Roaring in pain, Onix fired off yet another Flash Cannon in retaliation, fainting the exhausted Pokémon and sending it flying.

"Hawlucha, No!" Ash ran to catch the falling wrestling Pokémon and quickly noticed the swirly eyes. "Hawlucha is unable to battle; the winner is Onix!" Clemont cried excitedly. He eager to see what tactics the combatants would use in the next portion of the battle. Ash recalled his fainted Pokémon and pulled another Pokeball from his belt. "This one's really strong Brock, so look out. Go Tauros!" he shouted as the massive Pokémon appeared in front of him. Serena scanned the Pokémon with her Pokedex. _Tauros, the Wild Bull Pokémon. When whipping itself with its three tails, its Tackle is a powerful destructive force._ Tauros kicked the dirt on the battlefield and snorted. The wild bull Pokémon dug its hooves into the ground and prepared to attack its opponent.

"Tauros, Earthquake!"

"Try to dodge Onix!"

Tauros let out a low grunt and caused the earth around it to crumble. The Earthquake caused a rift to appear near the startled Onix. It continued to advance in a jagged line, until it stopped underneath the giant Rock Snake Pokémon. The ground then erupted, dealing a massive of damage to it. Onix reeled backwards in pain, but after several pained attempts, it righted itself. Tauros stood there and snorted once again, apparently unimpressed. Onix growled at it, before Brock outstretched out his hand and ordered the next move. "Use Bind!"

Onix slithered quickly towards Tauros and coiled around it, and wrapped its rocky body around the Wild Bull Pokémon, trying to suffocate it. Tauros let out a cry in pain and struggled to breathe. Ash looked on worriedly, but he managed to find a way around it. "Tauros, Thrash, quick!"  
Tauros snorted loudly and found the strength to break free of Onix's Bind and it charged it. Onix was swift to move out of the way, but as it narrowly dodged, Tauros surprised it by quickly swaying its head sharply to the left, knocking it down forcefully with its horns. Ash then tried to wrap up the battle by commanding a Giga Impact on the weakened Onix. Brock quickly countered with his own attack. "Rock Tomb!"

Both attacks collided, causing a huge explosion. As the smoke cleared, Onix reeled backwards and fainted. Tauros was still standing, but the excessive recoil damage had taken a toll on it. It collapsed as well, with the swirly eyes clearly visible. Clemont readjusted his glasses. "Both Tauros and Onix are unable to battle. Please choose your next Pokémon!"

"Kay, Sceptile! You're up!"

Sceptile emerged from its Pokeball and let out a battle cry. It then narrowed its eyes at Brock, who was releasing his next Pokémon. "You're turn Kabutops!"

The agile insectoid Pokémon appeared in a bright flash. It then brought its arms/scythes in front of it and struck a pose. Brock then called out to Ash. "This guy can get a little crazy, but don't underestimate him Ash!"

Ash grinned and then commanded Sceptile to use a move on it. "Leaf Blade!"

"X Scissor!"

The two Pokémon speedily ran towards each other, closing the gap between them rather quickly. Sceptile lashed out at Kabutops, who nimbly jumped out of the way. It then used X Scissor and landed a direct hit on Sceptile's back. Sceptile cried out in pain, before Ash ordered a counterattack. "Pound!"

Sceptile's tail glowed white before it slammed Kabutops into the ground. Before it had time to react, Sceptile had taken several steps back, proceeding then to charge the recovering Pokémon with its blade aimed at its chest. Kabutops took the blow directly where it was aimed, and was consequently launched high into the air. "Kabutops, use Aurora Beam!"

An icy beam shot out of Kabutop's mouth and advanced quickly towards Sceptile. It struck the starter's arm, effectively freezing it. Sceptile raised its free arm to block the force of the X Scissor that followed. Unable to resist the force of the attack, Sceptile was thrown into the ground beneath Kabutops. Brock then ordered a finishing move. "Superpower!"

The deadly attack skimmed Sceptile's frozen arm, freeing it from its icy captivity. Sceptile narrowly escaped the attack, and was filled with determination. Superpower had already lowered Kabutop's defense, adding onto its already decreased stats, courtesy of its weak armor ability. Ash took this chance to finish off Kabutops with one hit. "Ready Sceptile!"

"Tillleeee!"

"Frenzy Plant!"

Sceptile roared and slammed both of his fists into the ground. The ground erupted beneath it, and gigantic plant vines appeared. The vines then lunged towards Kabutops, who dodged the attack easily. Its speed was so high that it was now like a blur. As it destroyed a plant vine, a small explosion took place. Kabutops continued to dodge, but as the smoke cleared, it looked down in horror to see Sceptile, with its Leaf Blade ready to strike it down. Too exhausted to move, Kabutops took the full power of the attack, fainting it. "Kabutops is unable to battle; the winner is Sceptile!"

"All right! We did it!"

"Good job Ash, but now I'm going to have to bring out my stronger Pokémon now. Go Gol—"

"Doctor Brock! Forgive me for intruding on your battle, but there are patients that require your assistance immediately. I'm sorry, but even if I wanted to let you continue, your break is over. Please come to the Pokémon Center as soon as possible," Nurse Joy hastily said, before she ran back to the Center.

Brock sighed. Sometimes he wished that he was still a travelling teenager, roaming the world in search of all kinds of Pokémon. Now that he had a job, he had to stick to his routine or risk a loss of income. He recalled Golem and turned to Ash. "Sorry Ash, but duty calls. It was nice to see you again after so many years. You've really grown into a strong trainer! I'll be watching you in your first Elite Four battle from the center though. Good luck out there!" Brock called out as he said his good byes to the group. After he had departed, Ash sat down to chat with Clemont about the mysterious mega stone that Brock had given them. Pulling out the strange orb from his pocket, Ash let Clemont examine it thoroughly. After a few minutes, the blonde inventor concluded that the mega stone was one of the two mega stones used to mega evolve Charizard. Ash wondered why Brock would give such a costly gift. He knew his birthday was coming up, but did he really deserve the stone? He continued to ponder about the matter until Serena took a seat beside him.

"Doing OK, Ash!" she kindly asked.

"Yeah… I just don't understand why Brock would have found such a precious stone. And on top of that, where did he get all the time to look for it? Nurse Joy seems very strict about his schedule," He wondered.

Serena inwardly smiled. "He still hasn't figured out hasn't he? Well, I'll just wait to surprise him on his birthday with the other half of my gift," she thought gleefully as she remembered the keystone she had purchased with the money that came with becoming Kalos Queen.

After packing up their things from the hotel and saying their final good byes to Brock and Nurse Joy, the group set off for Shalour City. It was late afternoon, and it wasn't long before they decided to set up camp and rest for the night. Bonnie in particular was exhausted from the trek, and she quickly fell asleep as soon as she was laid in her sleeping bag. Clemont smiled before he entered the tent and fell asleep shortly after. Ash decided to sleep with Serena, since her nightmare had shaken her up quite badly. All was calm... _for now..._

* * *

(Geosenge Town)

A Team Flare truck had pulled into Geosenge. Out of the truck came several surviving grunts and admins, who were followed by a Malamar and a Team Flare scientist. "Just you wait Ketchum, We'll have our revenge in due time…." He muttered, before disappearing into the underground emergency headquarters of "Neo" Team Flare.


	23. Treasure Hunt

A few weeks had passed since the incident at Lumiose City. The four friends, Ash, Serena, Clemont and Bonnie had each played pivotal roles in the battle with Team Flare, the most important of which was Bonnie. The little sister of the Lumiose gym leader had bonded with Zygarde on her journey with Ash, and in its time of need, she was able to call out to it when it was under Lysandre's control. Everything was seemingly back to the way it was before, but little did the gang know that somewhere in the Kalos region, the criminal organization was planning its revenge. Meanwhile, Alain and Mairin had arrived in Geosenge Town to investigate the source of mega evolution energy radiating from the Cave of Mirrors. They were sent by Professor Sycamore to locate the mega stone that was tied to Alakazam, and were currently only just entering the cave.

"Alainnnn, how much longerrr! My feet are so tirreddd!" Mairin pouted.

"Calm down Mairin, we're almost there. I'm just as tired as you, I'll have you know," Alain replied, slightly agitated. Chespin meanwhile, was energetic as usual. It was resting on Mairin's shoulder the entire time, so it wasn't tired at all. "Che-Pin!"

"Chespie, you haven't walked all day! Stop complaining, we're almost there!" Mairin chided.

"That's basically the same thing I said to you, Mairin," Alain chuckled. Mairin jabbed him lightly in the stomach. "Let's get going! I can't wait for the day we find a Chespinite for Chespie!"

"First of all, if there was a mega stone for Chespie, it would be a Chesnaughtite, since Chesnaught is the final evolution of Chespin. Second, only certain Pokémon have mega stones. Third….."

Mairin whispered to Chespin. "Always ruining our fun. Don't worry, we'll get the last laugh."

"Chespin!"

Mairin then grabbed Alain's wrist and proceeded to drag him into the cave with her.

"Mairin! The mega stone isn't going to run away!"

"Yeah whatever. What's taking you so long?!"

"You were the one who said you were tired!"

* * *

On the other end of the cave stood an extremely tall man. His face was covered with a long grey beard, and in his left grizzled hand was a Pokeball. The ball looked like any other Pokeball, but upon closer inspection, you could see that there was a faint phrase etched into it. " _Floette"_ it read. The man looked out into the horizon, watching the peaceful scenery, while his unkempt hair flew wildly in all directions. "If only I had realized what I had done…" He spoke softly. AZ looked down to the center of the town, where a massive crater stood. It was a remnant of the Ultimate Weapon that he had created 20 years ago. The weapon had been destroyed by a mere child, a boy named Calem. AZ was both humiliated and impressed by the feat, and wasn't surprised when he defeated Diantha several months later. But now, things had changed. Diantha had managed to reclaim the title of Champion, and Calem went off to another region. The only reason AZ cared at all for the boy was because he knew that Calem was a strong enough trainer to combat Team Flare and their replica weapon. AZ had been blackmailed by them before, capturing his Floette, who had only just reunited with him. If he did not hand over the blueprints for the weapon, Floette would be the first test subject of the weapon. AZ complied with their wishes reluctantly, and silently hoped for a new hero to arise and take the place of Calem. Floette was still in captivity, and AZ believed that one had to be stronger than the Champion to be as strong as Calem. So far, no one had achieved such a feat, but AZ still had hope. After watching the Lumiose Conference, the old man was almost certain that the raven haired trainer named Ash Ketchum would be able to help him destroy the Ultimate Weapon, foiling Team Flare's plans once again. Then again, Calem had only barely managed to destroy the weapon, and he had the legendary Pokémon Xerneas by his side. As AZ continued to reminisce, he was completely unaware of the sudden movement below. He was snapped out of it by the roar of a truck engine and the yelling and screaming of two men dressed in full red. As they got into the car and left, a larger man appeared from where they had emerged, and he pressed a button on a strange device. The debris blocking the cavity suddenly was blown violently away, revealing a large crystalline flower at the bottom of the crater that was slowly rising. AZ's eyes widened. How had they reconstructed it so quickly? They had almost finished construction! Once the flower was fully out of the ground, they would probably fire if they had enough energy. He then remembered that it had taken years to supply the weapon with energy, which would give him enough time to locate the hero. AZ quickly turned and walked down the dusty path, intent on locating the boy named Ash.

* * *

"Alain hurry up already!"

"Mairin hang on!"

"Fine, but when I find the mega stone, I get to hold it first OK?"

"It doesn't matter who holds it first! We were told to locate the mega stone and bring it safely to the Professor."

"Whatever! Let's go."

The two of them ventured further into the cave. The mirrors lit up the chamber that they had just walked into. The floor was lined with colorful crystals protruding out of the surrounding stones. Alain and Mairin looked on in awe. A tunnel dug by a wild Pokémon had formed another empty chamber, revealing a glittering stone seated on what appeared to be a pedestal. Alain proceeded carefully, keeping Mairin behind him. Mairin looked around in wonder, but her wonder immediately morphed into horror as she saw their exit cave in. "Alain! Behind you!"

Alain turned. Several Cubone appeared, and in front of them stood a large Marowak. It was livid. First, these strangers had wandered into its home without taking heed of their surroundings. Second, the humans had unknowingly destroyed their only exit. It would take a while to reconstruct a new chamber. Marowak screeched at Alain and rushed at him. Alain took a step back and released Charizard. "Dragon Claw! Don't hurt it to badly though," he commanded. Charizard leaped in between Alain and the Marowak and scored a direct hit on the attacker. Marowak skidded backwards and shook its head vigorously. It then threw its flaming bone right at Charizard, knocking the wind out of it. The Cubone then also used Bonemerang, pummeling the Flame Pokémon with their crude weapons. Alain grit his teeth. "Mairin! I need you to get the mega stone off of the pedestal! I'll cover you."

"OK Alain!" Mairin then rushed off to grab the mega stone. However, she was too short. "Chespie, see if you can use Vine Whip."

"Che-pin!"

Chespie quickly snatched the mega stone and gave it to its trainer. Mairin grabbed both the mega stone and Chespie and hurried back to Alain. Alain managed to have Charizard faint the Cubone, and now only the Marowak remained. It brandished its flaming weapon and struck Charizard in the chin. Enraged, Charizard acted by himself and hurled the Pokémon into a nearby wall. Alain quickly pulled out a Pokeball and tossed it at the weakened Marowak. The ball encapsulated it and fell to the ground. It then shook. Once. Twice. Three times. The light blinked red, signifying capture. Mairin was confused. Why did Alain just capture a random Marowak that had nothing special about it? Alain seemed to read her mind and explained. "Here is a normal Marowak, Mairin. They usually look like this. On the other hand, what we saw was completely different. It's all black and its bone has a turquoise flame on either end of it."

Mairin thought out loud. "Maybe it's a mega evolved Marowak."

Alain shook his head. "It can't be. It wasn't holding a mega stone, and there was no trainer wearing a keystone. I'm taking it to Professor Sycamore. Maybe he can figure this out."

Mairin's eyes suddenly lit up. "Oh I forgot. Alain?"

"Hmm?"

"Look at this." She then took out the mega stone from behind her back. "TA DAAA!"

Alain carefully took the stone from her hands. "It looks like a mega stone… let me get out my holocaster." He then brought up an image of the supposed Alakazite. "Yeah. It's definitely a mega stone."

"Do you think it's the Alakazite?"

"Only one way to find out," Alain replied. "Let's get out of here."

The duo exited the Cave of Mirrors and took a road that led to into Shalour City. After a bit of walking, they had arrived. "The mega evolution guru lives in the Tower of Mastery. We can find out if the stone is an Alakazite." Alain explained.

"Do you think he knows if there's a Chesnaughtite?"

Alain shrugged. "Who knows?"

* * *

Ash had finished his training with his Pokémon for the day, and was now seated next to Clemont. The two were discussing strategies that could be used in the battle with Wikstrom. Serena was off practicing her routine with Bonnie, to keep her out of the boy's way. "So Wikstrom is a Steel type specialist, right?"

"Yeah, he apparently uses only Steel types. Charizard and Infernape should do well against him, and Greninja doesn't need to worry about type disadvantages, so I think those three should definitely be on your team. As for the other three, that's all up to you."

"Hmm… I think I got it. Now all we need is some training."

"You've been training all day Ash. You need a break. I'll get dinner ready, and you go get Serena and Bonnie, OK?"

"Sure," he replied.

After a hearty meal, the four friends shared some stories of their childhoods with each other around the campfire. It wasn't until Bonnie began to fall asleep that they stopped. Clemont took her back to her tent and tucked her in, leaving Ash and Serena alone. Serena spoke up. "Are you ready for your battle with Wikstrom?"

"Yeah. We just need a little more training. How's your performance with Milotic going?"

"It's going really well. She seems to know what she's doing. I have to thank you again for catching it for me."

Ash smiled. "There's no need to thank me. You earned it yourself. Now when someone tries to dethrone you, you can surprise them with Milotic!"

Serena sighed contently as she rested her head on Ash's shoulder. The raven haired trainer followed, gently resting his head on hers and pulling his arm around her waist. The two grew drowsy, each of them finding comfort from the other. Ash carried the dozing performer to her tent and tucked her in. He then returned to his usual shared tent with Clemont. The blonde inventor was already asleep, leaving Ash alone in his thoughts. "We really need to find a keystone soon. If Wikstrom is that strong, we'll need all the help we can get," he said, gazing intently at the gleaming stone in his palm.


	24. The Forest

Alain and Mairin had recently confirmed that the mysterious stone that they had found in the Cave of Mirrors was indeed the Alakazite. Ecstatic, the two trainers hurried back to Lumiose City to deliver the mega stone to the professor for refinement. As the two trainers neared Coumarine City, an oddly familiar sensation filled both of them. They felt as if they were being watched. Alain quickly turned when he heard a twig snap behind him. Alain was startled to find Admin Matt in the bushes.

"What are you doing here?"

"N—Nothing Alain," he nervously replied. Alain cautiously approached the man, who was slowly backing up into a tree. "I wasn't doing anything, honest! I was here in Coumarine seeking advice from the gym leader here on how to evolve my Nuzleaf. On the way here, I stumbled across you two, and I got curious. That's it, I swear!"

Alain raised an eyebrow. Team Flare was disbanded anyway. What could they do now? The boy turned and walked away, leaving the admin all alone. He quickly pulled out a hidden holocaster. "The boy has a mega stone in its pure form sir. If we can get our hands on it, it'll be all we need to start up the Weapon. Have you collected enough energy to fire the weapon?"

A muffled voice came out of the holocaster. "It's…..plicated….I…..in….mbat…..I…haven't…energy….keep…..sear….ing"

"Xerosic? What is happening? Can you hear me?"

Confused, the admin decided to just do what he was told and continued to follow the duo.

Professor Sycamore sat in his lab, analyzing what he had just heard. He had harbored suspicions of Team Flare remnants ever since they were so soundly defeated a few weeks ago. Even with Lysandre dead, they still had enough resources to attack again. Knowing this, Sycamore had Baraz and Meray put a device on the admin once they had defeated him during the Team Flare crisis. Matt was unconscious, making it an easy task for the two. The device allowed him to tap into the frequency, which meant he could hear everything that the admin said. Upon hearing their plan to gather more mega evolution energy for a new weapon, he resolved to find Alain as quickly as he could.

Ash had woken up late. Too late. It was so late that Clemont had to get Serena to wake him up and tell him to get moving. Ash's eyes fluttered open, before closing again. Serena sighed. "Ash, come on! It's already 12! If you want to get to your battle with Wikstrom, you know we have to get there first right?" she teasingly scolded. When Ash didn't respond, Serena decided to do something daring. Carefully, she lowered her face to his and gently kissed him, which finally prompted a response from him. The raven haired trainer was now awake, but decided that Serena wouldn't get away with teasing him. He threw his arms around her and pretended to be asleep once again. The honey blonde performer sighed. What was she going to do with him?

A few minutes later, the group was on the road once again. The group had reached a small forest, which was known by the locals for the ominous lore surrounding it. After asked some of the residents of the nearby town, they had discovered that this forest was haunted. A certain Pokémon that had drained the life out of people and Pokémon, leaving them forever encased in stone, unable to move. This Pokémon resided here, thus giving the forest a very disturbing atmosphere. The group was in the house of a kind elderly man deciding what they would do next. "After I did a bit of research, I realized that if we don't take the direct route through the forest, we probably won't make it in time for your challenge. The invitation expires in about three days. If you haven't challenged at least one of the Elite Four, the invitation will be handed over to the runner up. I suggest we go through the forest," Clemont said matter-of-factly. Bonnie perked up at the thought of crossing a spooky forest. "All right awesome! I can't wait to see how many creepy Pokémon we'll see!" Serena shivered. The thought of crossing such a creepy forest in the middle of the night disturbed her greatly. Ash noticed this and instinctively wrapped an arm around her waist, trying to comfort her. Serena smiled and nodded to the boy. "All right, it's settled. We'll rest here for now, and tomorrow we'll try to get through the forest in one go. If we don't make it, we'll have no choice but to camp there."

"Welcome to the Courmarine City Hotel! Will you be staying for the night?"

"Yes. I would like one room with two beds."

"Coming right up!"

Alain turned to Mairin. "We'll continue first thing in the morning."

Mairin nodded, and the man at the counter soon returned. "I'm sorry sir, but we have one room with only one king sized bed. I hope you won't mind."

Alain sighed and agreed. The man led him to the room and gave him the key. "Here you go sir. I hope you will enjoy your stay." Alain nodded, and the man turned down the hallway. The mega evolution trainer was somewhat perplexed. _That man…_ Alain, somewhat confused, called out to the man. "I didn't get your name, sir."

"It's Matt. Why?"

"Oh, uh, it's nothing."

"Wow Alain! Look at this room!" Mairin cried out in joy. Alain took a look around. The room was very well lit, revealing a quaint table, and in the next room was an exquisite king sized bed. "I'll take the couch, Mairin."

"What?!"

"Don't you want the bed?"

"Yeah, but it's a king sized bed for a reason."

"I guess…all right fine. I'll go."

"Yay!"

Alain got ready to sleep and entered the bed. Mairin was already in bed, asleep. The mega evolution trainer fell asleep quickly, but not before Mairin revealed that she wasn't sleeping and she quickly wrapped her arms around Alain. Alain, confused, was startled, and hesitated. He soon grew comfortable though, and drifted off to sleep, with the young girl holding onto him.

* * *

 **That ends this chapter guys. I'm sorry for the shorter chapter, but I have an essay to right and a science project to prepare for. Anyway I'll see you tomorrow. By the way, this chapter was a request from Rosey1510, so shout outs to him/her. See you later!**


	25. Those Who Enter

Alain woke up suddenly when a loud noise interrupted his peaceful slumber. He sat up slowly, looking around the room. His eyes were wide with shock when he saw his backpack on the table. It was on its side, with all the zippers wide open. Worst of all, the mega stone was gone. Alain bolted out of bed, accidentally waking up the sleeping girl next to him. She groggily opened her eyes, wondering why Alain was in such a frantic state. "What's (yawn) going… on Alain?"

Alain, meanwhile was talking to himself. "I knew that guy was suspicious, I knew it! Why did I still decide to sleep here?! Where is that mega stone?!" he muttered while pacing around the room. He was snapped out of it by Mairin, who was tugging on his arm. "What's wrong Alain?"

"The mega stone was stolen."

"What?!"

"I know who stole it too. Come on, we need to get it back!"

"All right, let's go!"

The two changed into their normal apparel and quickly exited the room. Alain ran down the stairs and was appalled by the sight before him. A large hole occupied the back of the reception desk, and an old man was lying on the floor, breathing heavily. Alain took a step back. Mairin hid behind the boy, frightened at the prospect of what had happened.

The duo reached the injured man and helped him up. "Thanks lad."

"Do you know what happened here?"

"Sorry lad, but I was knocked out cold…. I did manage to see the manager put on a red suit before he left though, and he was carrying a small stone."

Mairin's eyes widened. "Team Flare! They took the mega stone! We've got to go get it!"

"Hold up Mairin, I want you to stay here. You will be safer here," Alain said softly. Mairin's look of annoyance then turned into a gentle smile. She then playfully winked.

"Then you'll have to protect me then."

Alain sighed. He really wanted her to stay so he would know she was safe. On the other hand, when Mairin made that face, he couldn't really say no. "Fine." He muttered. Mairin, overjoyed, wrapped her arms around Alain. The mega evolution trainer's face went red when he realized that there were people watching. "M—Mairin, let's get going," he stammered out, clearly flustered.

Matt had pulled out his holocaster after he was a safe distance away from his pursuers. "Xerosic, I have retrieved the mega stone. I'm currently awaiting pickup."

"Very good Matt. Bring it to me in one piece though. I wouldn't want my precious energy to be blemished by a scratch or tear. I'll have the evacuation team pick you up. Xerosic, out."

Matt was putting his holocaster away and stood up, but as he turned to get going, he came face to face with an angered Alain. The trainer stepped on the holocaster and grabbed the admin. "The mega stone. Give it back. Now."

"No way! We need that thing for Neo Team Flare! You're gonna have to get through me first!"

Alain then kneed the man in the stomach. "OW! Hasn't anyone taught you manners?!" Matt countered by elbowing Alain in the face. The boy stepped backwards and rubbed his cheek. Matt turned the tail and ran in the opposite direction, but as he ran, Chespin use Vine whip to trip him. The Team Flare admin fell on his face, giving Alain just enough time to take back the mega stone from his bag. Mairin blew a raspberry at the fallen Matt, before turning and running with Alain out of the forest. Matt grunted and picked himself off, and then limped off deeper into the forest.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ash and his friends had entered the mysterious forest, proceeding with caution. Clemont had packed the group flashlights as well as walkie talkies to help them through the forest should night come and they were still not out. The group had picked up their pace somewhat, but was stopped dead in their tracks when a loud screech could be heard in the distance. The noise was enough to frighten the Pokémon that were out in the open right back into the darkness, leaving the quartet alone. Serena held on tightly to Ash, who gave her a sympathetic look. Even Bonnie was scared. Ash shivered, but knew that he had to push on.

A few hours had passed since the group had set off into the forest, which was known as the Forest of Destiny by the locals. If the forest decided one wasn't worthy of passing, it would simply end them right on the spot. The four shuddered when the old man had revealed this to them. Still, they agreed to make the trip through, as Ash would need as much preparation time as possible. Now that they were actually traversing the eerie forest, they started to have second thoughts. Pikachu looked up towards the sky and murmured softly. "Pika, Pikaaaaa…."

"I know buddy. I don't think we're gonna make it. If we set up camp, we'll be safe from the nocturnal Pokémon. I've heard that they are quite aggressive. Let's set up camp guys. We've only passed half of the forest." The others agreed, as they were visible tired. They were so intent on getting through the forest in one go that they hadn't rested since they first entered the forest. Gratefully accepting an offer to rest, they almost forgot they were camping in a haunted forest. After a short break, Ash decided to help Clemont by getting firewood for the camp. He arrived shortly after, carrying several dry pieces of wood.

As the group got ready for bed, the same noise echoed through the forest. Serena quivered, worrying Ash. The raven haired trainer then decided to keep her company. Clemont slept with Bonnie for the same reason. As night fell, a shadowy object emerged from its hiding spot and growled viciously. Looking around, it headed off to find the trainers who had invaded its resting spot.


	26. Never Return

The next morning came rather quickly, and a certain raven haired trainer. The sun's rays gently hit Ash's face, causing him to stir. Pikachu was also awakened, and the two of them yawned simultaneously. Ash stretched his arms, and sat up, with a sleeping Serena still clinging to him. Ash remembered her fear of the paranormal, especially the incident at the Scary House in Lavarre, and he now was beginning to regret bringing her through this forest. After all, it did manage to scare all of them. Gently waking up the performer, Ash got up and unzipped the tent. He was shocked at the sight in front of him. The trees that surrounded the clearing where they had set up began to shake. Suddenly, all of the trees opened their eyes. Serena shrieked, waking up Bonnie and Clemont in the next tent. The two twins raced out of their tent to see what was wrong and were met with several pairs of red glowing eyes. Clemont gulped. Ash, who had remembered that he was taken hostage by one of these Pokémon before, and Froakie and Hawlucha had tried to free him, but at that time the two didn't get along and ended up getting caught in the process. Putting his arms in front of Serena, he spoke to Clemont. "I think these are just Trevenant guys! There's no need to be afraid!" However, it was at this moment that Ash regretted saying that, as the Trevenant used Forest's Curse on the quartet. "What…have…we done….to you…?" Ash gasped out.

"Grenin!"

A large explosion followed, and the four were cut free from their imprisonment. Once freed, Ash called out Infernape to help cover for them while they tried to escape. The Trevenant directed their attention to the duo of Pokémon and attacked. Greninja blocked the attacks with Cut, and Infernape blazed a path of escape for Ash. "Come on, we gotta get outta here!"

"What about Infernape and Greninja?" Bonnie asked, worried for her new friend's safety.

"They'll be fine. They've been through worse," Ash replied confidently.

The group quickly ran out of the clearing into the forest. The Trevenant gave chase, using their root like legs to follow them at a quicker pace than expected. As the Trevenant closed in on the group, Greninja attacked with Cut, and Infernape finished off with Flame Wheel. The two Pokémon nodded and adopted a back to back defensive stance as Ash and the others continued their escape.

Several minutes of running had passed before Clemont had to stop to catch a breath. The adrenaline he received from such a scare had finally worn off, and the blonde inventor was now lying flat on the ground, completely drained. Ash stopped and looked around to see if the area was clear. The sounds of Greninja and Infernape executing their attacks reassured him that they were OK. Serena suddenly tugged on Ash's arm and pointed to something in the distance. "Look Ash! There's the exit!"  
Ash turned and saw what the performer was pointing to. In the distance, a clearing could be seen. At the end of the path was light, and Ash agreed; it was the exit! Clemont was re-energized now, overjoyed that they would be leaving this dreaded place. Together the four of them got to what seemed to be the exit, but they quickly realized that this was not an exit. It was a dead end. Ash decided that they should take a rest, as they were all exhausted. Bonnie then screamed as she noticed an eerie statue at the end of the dead end. It was a statue of a girl, her arm outstretched, as if trying to grab something. She was encased in stone, and she lay there, completely still. At her feet lay three stone tablets that said X,Y and Z. Curious, Ash picked up the one that said Y, while Serena picked up the one that said X. Bonnie picked up the Z tablet, and Clemont took an invention out of his bag. He scanned each of the tablets with the device, which then translated the ancient text into English. Clemont began to read each of the tablets out loud to the rest of the group.

* * *

"Cain, please be careful…."

"I will Shiida. I know you don't want me to go, but you must understand. That bird killed my family. It destroyed my home! I won't let it get it away with that!"

Shiida embraced Cain tightly, before they said their goodbyes. Cain mounted his Gogoat and whistled for his Talonflame. The bird of prey flew towards its master and landed on his shoulder. The man then set off to find Yveltal. As Shiida could barely see the silhouette of her fiancée, she heard a loud screech. Startled, she gripped her staff and turned around. She was face to face with the Pokémon of destruction. Yveltal. She screamed out for help, and the townspeople came running, carrying sharp homemade weapons. Cain had heard the shrill cry of his fiancée and frantically dismounted Gogoat. He took off for her, readying his bow. Talonflame flew ahead of him and attacked the massive bird. Yveltal turned and used Oblivion Wing, immediately turning it into stone. By now Cain had reached the legendary Pokémon and fired off several arrows into its wing. It roared in pain, but turned to face its attacker. Cain readied his shield to brace for impact, as Yveltal fired off its Oblivion Wing. Shiida was horrified. She ran as fast as her legs would carry her and knocked him out of the way. The Oblivion Wing missed Cain, but it skimmed Shiida's leg.

"NO! SHIIDA!"

The bird prepared another attack, but several of the militia of the town hurled their spears into Yveltal. It screeched at them, before it flew off. Cain stood beside the petrified Shiida. Her body was turned fully into stone. The man dropped to his knees. "No…." he began to cry, "no…" His eyes then narrowed and his face changed into one of rage. "YVELTALLLLLL!"


	27. Escape

Clemont had finished reading the ancient texts to the groups. Ash stood there, mesmerized. Serena was listening to the tragic tale, and when she realized that the girl in front of her was never revived, she clutched her boyfriend's arm tightly. Bonnie noticed that the Z tablet mentioned Zygarde. She also knew that Squishy was Zygarde. "Wow Squishy… you've been helping people long before we came around." The group stood there in awe. The statue suddenly became ominous. Cain never was able to talk to her again.

A loud noise interrupted them, and the exit to the dead end was suddenly blocked off by the Trevenant. In front of them, leading the way were Infernape and Greninja, their eyes glazed red. "What?!" Ash gasped as he saw his two Pokémon. The raven haired trainer then ran toward them. Infernape then punched him in the stomach, sending him sliding backwards. "Arghhh...!" Serena ran over to him and helped him to stand. Ash went pale, realization hitting him. They had been possessed by the Trevenant. Ash stood up and flipped his cap backwards. "If you wanna be like that, then I'll show you! Pikachu, Charizard, Sceptile! Come on out!"

The three of them were confused as they saw their opponents. "Pika?"

"They can't hear you Pikachu. They're under the control of the Trevenant! You need to defeat them to snap them out of it!"

Pikachu looked at the two in shock, before it growled. "Piiikaaaaa…!"

Infernape wasted no time in closing the gap between them and threw a punch at Sceptile. Sceptile was too afraid to fight back, and it took a solid uppercut to its chin. Charizard stood in the way of Infernape and used Air Slash. It would not tolerate a traitor. Infernape reeled backwards from the attack, but Greninja got in the way and hurled a Water Shuriken at Charizard. Pikachu then engaged in combat with Greninja, and the two Pokémon traded blows with Iron Tail and Cut. Pikachu was weakening quickly however, and it was holding back. It couldn't bear with the thought that it was hurting one of its friends.

The three Pokémon were quickly getting exhausted, opting to dodge instead of counter with their own attacks. Infernape and Greninja kept up the merciless barrage of attacks. Charizard managed to land a super effective Air Slash on Infernape however, and Pikachu decided to end the battle quickly. It rushed off at Infernape at the speed of light. Its body grew white and it tackled the fire starter without restraint. Infernape was sent flying into a Trevenant. Upon seeing one of their pawns fainted, the Trevenant began to run away. Greninja looked back, before its eyes glazed over once again, this time they glowed an even more intense red. It lunged at Charizard and chucked a massive Water Shuriken at it, fainting the Flame Pokémon. Ash gasped as Greninja evaded Pikachu and Sceptile and rushed to its trainer. It drew out its signature white blade, except this time it was purple and crackling with dark type energy. "Night Slash…" Clemont identified.

Ash's eyes widened when Greninja brought the blade down on him. The raven haired trainer dodged narrowly and pulled out Greninja's Pokeball. "Sorry buddy," he said as he hurled the Pokeball at it. Greninja noticed this and swatted the ball away. Ash backed up against a nearby tree, while Greninja prepared another Night Slash. Ash closed his eyes and prepared for impact. The ninja frog Pokémon brought down the blade onto Ash's chest. A loud explosion occurred. Ash opened his eyes slowly. The attack had missed? The raven haired trainer noticed that Greninja was struggling to comply with its commands. Ash quickly pulled out its Pokeball and hurled it at the Ninja Frog. Thankfully, it was recaptured easily. He sighed in relief. The Trevenant, however, fired a Shadow Ball at Sceptile, knocking it out. Pikachu jumped in shock, before it fired off a powerful Thunderbolt. The Trevenant were frightened by the power of the attack and retreated. Ash wiped his forehead free of the sweat that collected on his brow. "Close one. You guys want to get out of here?"

They all nodded, too scared to say anything. The group exited the forest, and none of them spoke of their adventure there again.

* * *

Alain and Mairin had finally made it to Lumiose City, but the professor was nowhere to be found. Confused, the duo split up to look for him. Alain took the north boulevard, while Mairin took the South. Upon entering a dimly lit alleyway, Alain heard a faint sound from the end. Cautiously he stepped into the alleyway, and was surprised to see a Team Flare Admin on his computer, analyzing data on a Pokémon he had never seen before. It was the work of another region, an artificial Pokémon created for the need of a mythical one. Alain held his breath as the admin turned to leave.

Mairin on the other hand, was having a blast wandering through the various shops, "looking" for the professor. She was on her way to another clothing shop when she bumped into a tall man with an equally long beard. Startled, the man looked down. "Oh? And who might you be?" he asked kindly.

"Hi mister, my name's Mairin! I'm looking for the professor, have you seen him?"

"Pro…fessor?"

"Yeah his name's Sycamore. I need to get this stone to him as soon as possible. He researched Mega Evolution!"

"Ah yes, that fellow. Was he present at the Kalos League?"

"Yes mister, but why do you ask?"

"Does this Professor know anything of the boy with that Greninja?"

"Er, yes?"

"Interesting… I guess I'm on the right track? Maybe the boy is easier to track down than I thought."

"Huh?!"

"Oh, it's nothing. I haven't seen your professor, but I will let you know if I find him lass."

"Thank you mister…mister…"

"It's AZ."

"Oh cool name! Anyway I'll see you later!"

As Mairin turned to leave, AZ chuckled. "She reminds me of my own daughter…"

* * *

"Professor, there you are!" Mairin shouted out as she ran to him. Alain was also there, explaining what had happened at the Cave of Mirrors.

"Yes, I've known about that little incident with Matt for a while now. I had a recording device on his holocaster."

Alain turned to see Mairin running up to the professor with the mega stone in her arms. "Look at this professor!"

"Mairin there you are! I was getting worried…"

"Aww, that's sweet. I'm here now though, so no need to worry!" she said as she hugged him. Embarrassed, Alain gently patted her head and dragged her into the lab with him. Mairin gave the professor the mega stone, and he immediately began to analyze its composition and structure. "Hmmm… it's chemical composition indicates it's a mega stone, and yet it isn't a pure mega stone. I will have to chip away the impurities before anyone can use it. Anyway, thanks a lot for your work you two," Sycamore stated with a smile. "Happy to help professor, isn't that right Chespie?"

"Che Pin!"


	28. Hardened Steel

Ash and his friends had finally reached Shalour City. The four of them were still shaken up from the incident with the Trevenant, and that was nearly a week ago. However, now was not the time to think about the past, as Ash was now preparing for his battle with Wikstrom, the Elite Four trainer with one of the strongest Steel type Pokemon out there. As they reached the Pokemon Center, Ash ran off to ask the whereabouts of the trainer.

"Excuse me, sir? I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, and this is my partner Pikachu! We're here to challenge Wikstrom of the Elite Four! You have any idea where I can find him?"

"Yes. I believe he is currently training with the Mega Evolution Guru in the lowest level of the Tower of Mastery. You will find him there son."

"All right, thanks!"

"Good luck out there!"

The group set off for the Tower of Mastery, but not before the raven haired trainer had his Pokemon in tip top condition at the Pokemon Center. Nurse Joy soon came back with his Pokemon.

"They're all healed up! We are rooting for you and your Pokemon in the league!"

"I'll do my best!"

Later, after lunch, the group set off for the Tower of Mastery. It was said that only the chosen ones were able to part the waters, which usually meant that challengers had to request Korrina's assistance to get across and challenge the gym. This time, however, since Ash had become the Kalos Leauge Champion, he had the ability to part the water instantaneously. Clemont, being a gym leader, was also able, leaving Bonnie and Serena the only ones who were unable to cross. Bonnie was given a piggyback from Clemont, who carried her across safely. Serena was lifted into Ash's arms and carried over the water bridal style, earning a faint blush from the performer. The door to the tower was already opened, and the four stepped in.

The tower had a secret lower level where Wikstrom used to train before he became a member of the Elite Four. After becoming one, he relocated it here so that challengers would be able to have utmost focus, allowing them to bring out their fullest potentials. Wikstrom had just finished training when he ran into Ash.

"Hello there! You must be Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town! I am Wikstrom, the world's best swordsman and the strongest of Kalos' Steel type trainers."

"Hi, I'm Ash. I've been practicing for our battle! Let's have it right now!"

Wikstrom chuckled. "Very well. I will prepare myself in the next chamber. When you are ready, let the referee know and he will let you in."

"Got it. Ready Pikachu?"  
"Pi-Pikachu!"

The referee walked up to the raven haired trainer. "Ash Ketchum? Please select the Pokemon you will be using for this battle."

"Ok, all right. Fine," Ash muttered impatiently as he filled out the form. The referee then turned to the other three companions. Will you be competing as well?"

"No, we're just here to cheer for Ash," Serena said.

"In that case, please follow me to the viewing area."

"Ok. Ash? Do your best out there!" Clemont said before giving him the thumbs-up.

"Yeah go Ash! Show 'em what you're made of!" Bonnie chimed in.

Serena walked up to the raven haired trainer and pecked his cheek. "Do you're best out there and don't give up 'till it's over!"

Ash smiled as he walked through the door into the chamber.

The room was dimly lit, confusing Ash. Suddenly, two giant sword blades fell seemingly from nowhere and into their "sheathes". The swords then rotated and flashed a bright green, illuminating the stadium in a faint green glow. Wikstrom stood at the end of the chamber and pulled out a Pokeball from his belt. The referee ran to the side of the stadium and shouted. "The battle between the challenger, Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, and Elite Four Wikstrom is about to commence! Trainers, please choose your Pokemon! The challenger is allowed the use of all six of his Pokemon, while Wikstrom will only use four!"

"Ready Pikachu?"

"Pi-Pikachu!" The electric mouse jumped from its perch on its trainer's shoulder to the battlefield. It's cheeks crackled with electricity, signifying it would be ready for a tough battle. Wikstrom tossed his Pokeball into the air, releasing a Klefki. "What's that Pokemon?" Ash wondered out loud, before scanning it with his Pokedex. _Klefki, the key ring Pokemon. It never lets go of a key that it likes, so people give it the keys to vaults and safes as a way to prevent crime_. "Wow, Klefki is so amazing!"

"Ready Wikstrom?"

"Ready Ash. En Garde!"

"Battle begin!"

"Pikachu, start off with Quick Attack! Give it everything you've got!"

"Use Dazzling Gleam!"

Pikachu charged at Klefki with the speed of a supersonic jet, hitting its opponent directly. Klefki winced, but successfully countered with Dazzling Gleam, sending the electric mouse flying backwards. "Thunderbolt!"

"Flash Cannon!"

Both Pokemon fired off their attacks, each of them colliding with the other and causing a stalemate. Eventually Pikachu's Thunderbolt reached Klefki and struck it down. "Pikachu hurry! Use Iron Tail!"

Pikachu's tail glowed white hot, and it leaped high into the air, before slamming its tail onto Klefki. The key ring Pokemon cried out in pain and fell backwards. "Wrap this up with Thunderbolt!"

"Don't let him beat you Klefki. Use Torment!"

Pikachu was about to fire off its Thunderbolt, but before it could, Klefki gave it an evil look that stopped it in its tracks. A loud noise then emanated from Klefki. The noise died down, but could still be heard by Pikachu. The little rodent clutched its head in pain. "Pikaaaachuu! Pika Pikachu!"

"Oh no, Ash!" Serena shouted in worry, before covering her mouth, realizing that the others had heard her.

"Don't worry Serena, he's not going to go down so easily," said Clemont confidently. "The Ash we know never gives up!"

"Plus, he's got a reason to win this time!" winked Bonnie. Serena blushed upon realizing, but she tried to remain calm and set her attention back to the battle going on in front of her. "There's no way he's going to lose," she whispered to herself.


	29. Deadly Tactics

Pikachu clutched its head in pain from Klefki's torment. Clearly, the effects of the attack had hindered Pikachu severely, and the Klefki attacked once again with a Flash Cannon. The little rodent, barely dodged and fired off a Thunderbolt, which missed. Ash grit his teeth. If he was going to win this, he would have to get rid the Kelfki and its annoying Torment. Trying to think of a way around it, he tried a daring plan. "Pikachu! Use Quick Attack to knock off one of the keys!"

"Pikachu!"

Pikachu took off once again and tackled Klefki with all it had in it, successfully knocking the key out of its grasp. Enraged that it had lost its favorite key, Klefki fired off another Flash Cannon at its attacker. "Now! Iron Tail!"

Pikachu swung its tail down onto the key ring Pokemon's head, smashing it into the ground. "Thunderbolt!"

"Pikaaaaa...CHUUUUUU!" Pikachu cried as it fired off its signature Thunderbolt attack. Wikstrom knew that Klefki was done for, and frantically ordered a Spikes put out before the Thunderbolt hit. Klefki obeyed and hurled out several pointed stones onto Ash's side of the field. Then, the electric bolt fried Klefki, fainting it.

"Klefki is unable to battle; the winner is Pikachu!"

"Not bad Ash, but we're just getting started! Probopass, lets go!" Wikstrom shouted before releasing Probopass onto the field. Ash looked in fear at the size of the Pokemon. Pikachu turned to his trainer and nodded, reassuring him that he could do this. "Right buddy, we can win this! Use Iron Tail to knock it upwards; then follow up with Electro Ball!"

"Don't let him get near you Probopass; use Power Gem!"

The compass Pokemon let out a growl, before the three floating appendages each shot out several sharp stones at Pikachu. The nimble electric was able to dodge most of them, but it wasn't aware of its surroundings and was hit by one of the floating stones. This caused it to falter, allowing Probopass to turn around and score a free hit. Pikachu flew backwards into the air, before it landed behind the unsuspecting Pokemon and used Iron Tail. However, Probopass didn't even flinch.

"Finish him off with Earth Power!"

"Pikachu, Iron Tail on the ground! You know what to do!"

Pikachu pumped its fist, before it charged at Probopass, who had caused a rupture to form near it. As the attack was executed, the little mouse slammed its tail once again into the ground, resulting in an explosion. The rocks that were hurled upward from the blast were then used by it as a springboard. Using the smoke as cover, Pikachu then struck its opponent with another Iron Tail. Probopass was suddenly flung backwards, as it was not ready to absorb such a powerful blow. Wikstrom kept his cool though, and ordered a Flash Cannon, as he knew that Pikachu was too exhausted from pulling off that stunt to be able to dodge. Probopass charged up the attack and fired. Pikachu was flung into a wall and slumped down it. "Pikaa...Pi..Pikachu..."

"No Pikachu!"

"Pika..." it panted out, before it fell down on the ground, fainted.

"Pikachu is unable to battle; the winner is Probopass!"

Ash walked over to where Pikachu was and picked him up."You did great out there buddy. Take a good rest and let the others handle it," he said before setting it down next to him. "Now, its your turn! Go Infernape!" Infernape lept out of his Pokeball and let out a mighty howl. Wikstrom chuckled at its antics, before ordering another attack. "Power Gem!"

"Don't let him near you! Use Mach Punch to deflect the rocks right back at it!"

Infernape successfully reflected the attacks and charged Probopass, its body erupting in flames. It was using Flame Wheel. However, Probopass valiantly headbutted the crazed ape and knocked it backwards, but not before it received a nasty burn. Ash watched in shock as Infernape started to get up and attack with Mach Punch. As it closed the gap, Wikstrom then ended the battle with a startling move. "Explosion!"

The attack caused a massive amount of damage to both combatants, as well as the environment itself. It razed the entire stadium, covering the entire battlefield in debris and smoke. Ash was very thankful for the suit of armor that the referee had given him before he entered. Wikstrom had challengers wear it for the sole purpose of protection from the Explosion. As the masive explosion died down, Both combatants were on the ground, fainted. Ash was shocked. " _Infernape would never go down that quickly...This guy is really tough! I'll have to bring out Charizard if I am to win."_

"Both Infernape and Probopass are unable to battle; neither battler is the winner this round."

"Thanks Infernape. You did great out there."

"Good job Probopass. You were able to knock out two of Ash's Pokemon. Take a good rest."

"All right Wikstrom, meet one of my strongest Pokemon! Charizard! Let's go!"

"Ok Aegislash, you're up!"

 _"Not that guy. I barely managed to survive Sawyer's own Aegislash, and this is an Elite Four Member's Pokemon!"_

Charizard and Aegislash both appeared in a flash of light. Charizard let out a mighty roar, and Aegislash entered its Blade forme. Ash took the first move. "Charizard, Dragon Tail!"

"Aegislash, King's Shield!"

 _"Wait, what did Clemont say about King's Shield? Oh no, Charizard!_ Cancel it!" _Too late_. Charizard's glowing tail made contact with King's Shield, which lowered its attack considerably.

"Now, use your shield to knock it off balance, then use Sacred Sword!"

Aegislash slammed its shield and quickly reverted to its Blade Forme, slashing at Charizard with its razor sharp blade. The attack sliced at Charizard's chest, and, though ineffective, it was still painful, and Charizard shook its head rapidly to shake off the pain.

* * *

"What's wrong brother? You seem a little down..."

"He is gonna be fine out there, right Clemont? The blonde inventor was silent for a few moments, before he turned his head to face the two girls.

"Ash is in trouble."

* * *

 **Ok guys, quick update. The next chapter will probably be Q and A since I don't really have the time to update at the moment. If any of you guys have questions you want to ask me about myself or about the story, please PM me. If I do have time I'll update the story instead of Q and A. I'll see you all soon hopefully!**


	30. The End is in Sight

"Charizard, Air Slash!"

"Aegislash, King's Shield, again!"

Charizard roared before releasing a powerful wave of flying type energy straight at Aegislash, who had reverted into its shield forme to block the attack. The attack bounced harmlessly off of Aegislash's shield and into the ground. "Now! Fire Blast!" Ash yelled excitedly.

Charizard growled once again and released a small ember that erupted into a flaming star once it made contact with the royal sword Pokemon. Fortunately for Wikstrom, Aegislash had not attacked, thus retaining its shield forme and allowing it to take the hit fairly well. "Swords Dance!"

Aegislash rose slowly into the air and performed an intimidating dance. As it finished, a red glow emanated from its body, signifying that it had raised its attack by a large amount. Ash took a step back in fear. What was Wikstrom planning? "Charizard, Dragon Tail!"

"Dodge it Aegislash!"

The royal sword Pokemon narrowly dodged and momentarily paused to regain its balance, allowing Charizard to attack again. "Seismic Toss!"

The flame Pokemon rushed at Aegislash and grabbed it, before shooting up into the air, carrying its confused opponent with it. Charizard then performed a flip and dived down and followed up by hurling Aegislash into the ground, causing another explosion. Using the smoke tactic against him, Wikstrom ordered another move. "Sacred Sword, once more!"

"Dodge it with Overheat!"

Charizard's body was engulfed in flames as Aegislash charged it. As it made contact with Charizard's flaming skin, it cried out in pain from the burn it had received. Ash took this opportunity to wrap things up. "Dragon Tail followed by Fire Blast!" The flame Pokemon complied and swung its tail to the side and swiftly knocking Aegislash into the ground. It then flew up out of sight, and when Aegislash finally recovered from the shock, Charizard had shot out a deadly Fire Blast that caught Aegislash in his blade forme. It was not able to survive this one, and it fainted from the super effective hit.

"Aegislash is unable to battle; the winner is Charizard!"

"What were you talking about Clemont? Ash just beat Aegislash; theres only one Pokemon left!" Bonnie cried excitedly.

"Wikstrom's final Pokemon is capable of Mega Evolution, and Charizard had his attack lowered severely during the batle. His other Pokemon aren't as ideal for Scizor, since Charizard is also a flying type. "

 _If only I gave him the Key stone...I'm sorry Ash..._ Serena thought. "I hope he can pull through..."

"Don't worry Serena. If I know Ash, he's never gonna give up!" Bonnie replied cheerfully. The honey blonde performer smiled at Bonnie's enthusiasm. "Yeah! He'll be just fine!"

"All right Ash, here comes my strongest Pokemon. Go Scizor!"

A bipedal insectoid Pokemon appeared in a flash of light. On its left pincer was a mega stone. Ash gasped in awe when Wikstrom revealed his key stone from his sword hilt. He then initiated the Mega Evolution process. "Scizor, Mega Evolve!"

Scizor shot a menacing look at Charizard before it was engulfed in light. The tendrils of energy of trainer and Pokemon interconnected and a bright flash blinded everyone present. When the light faded, Scizor appeared in its mega evolved form. "Bullet Punch!"

"Deflect them with Overheat!"

Scizor lunged at Charizard and brought its fist down on its chest. Charizard had also dealt damage to Scizor by using Overheat, succesfully burning it. Scizor winced in pain, but it recovered and uppercutted The Flame Pokemon. "Charizard!"

The loyal fire starter was on one knee and panting heavily. Wikstrom smirked as he ordered his final move. "Superpower!"

"Look out Charizard!"

A huge explosion clouded the whole stadium, flinging debris everywhere. As the smoke cleared, the Flame Pokemon was seen right above Scizor and it fired off a Fire Blast as a last resort. The attack was a direct hit, causing Scizor to stumble backwards. Charizard then tried to finish it up with a Seismic Toss, grabbing the overgrown insect and skyrocketing into the air. As it hurled Scizor to the ground, the mega evolved Pokemon finished off Charizard with X Scissor. The flame Pokemon stumbled and fell over, but not before Scizor had taken the brunt of the Seismic Toss.

"Charizard is unable to battle; Scizor is the winner!"

"Oh no, Charizard!" Ash cried as he saw his Pokemon fall to the ground. After recalling and thanking it, the raven haired trainer pulled out Greninja's Pokeball.

"Greninja, I choose you!"

Ash's powerhouse of a Pokemon appeared and leapt into the air. It then struck a ninja pose and waited for a command. Ash was ready and quickly ordered the next move. "Night Slash!" He called out. Greninja pulled out a purple blade and struck Scizor in the chest. The atack was enough to send it flying back, and it crashed into a nearby wall. Asj raised his hand and then put it on his heart. "We're gonna get stronger, stronger and STRONGER! Let's go!" Greninja mimcked its trainer and did the same thing, before it was englulfed in the all too familiar torrent of water, transforming it into Ash-Greninja. "Water Shuriken!"

"Deflect with X Scissor!"

Both Pokemon took off towards each other. However, as Scizor prepared to strike the agile frog Pokemon, Greninja leaped into the air and out of harm's way. It grabbed the Water Shuriken that was sitting on its back and hurled it at the unsuspecting Pokemon. A huge explosion followed. Scizor was still able to battle, and now it was enraged from the attack. "Bullet Punch!" the Elite Four member called out to his mega evolved Pokemon. "Counter with Ice Punch!"

The Pokemon were now locked in hand to hand combat, and each was slowly tiring from the exhaustion of the fight. Finally, Mega Scizor landed a crushing blow to Greninja, sending it flying into the ground. Greninja cried in pain as it fell. Ash looked on in worry. Did he make it? A sharp pain in his stomach caused him to collapse on the floor, and he fell face down on the floor in exhaustion. Greninja was still able to battle, but what had happened to Ash?


	31. The First of Many Challenges

"Ash, you have to get up!" cried Serena. She was about to run over to him but was stopped by the referee. He turned to Wikstrom. "Do you think we should continue the match?"

"No, it looks like the transformation that Greninja undergoes puts Ash under extreme danger should he overuse it. I think we should take a rest for now." But as soon as those words left his mouth, Ash pulled himself up. "I came this far...I must finish what I started."

"Ash! Are you all right?!" Serena exclaimed as she ran right past the referee and enveloped him in a hug. Ash smiled. She cared so much for him, and it suddenly gave him a large boost of adrenaline. "Ready to continue Wikstrom? Cause we're just getting started!" he shouted as he pumped a fist. Greninja returned to his position on the battlefield and readied itself.

"Very well, Ash. I admire your persistence, but soon you will know your place. Scizor! Bullet Punch!"

"Greninja, deflect with Night Slash and then use Ice Punch!"

Greninja could feel the boost of adrenaline that Ash had received, and used it to make its moves more effective then they should have been. Scizor quickly engaged Greninja, throwing several punches at it. Greninja, though, dodged all of them effortlessly and shot Scizor into the air with an Ice Punch, before it seemingly appeared above the wounded Pokémon and slammed it into the ground with Night Slash. Scizor was still able to fight, and Wikstrom ordered the next move. "Scizor use X Scissor!"

"Greninja Double Team and then Water Shuriken!"

Soon the illusionary copies of Greninja surrounded the confused Scizor. It began slashing away at the copies, searching for the real Greninja, when out of nowhere, a massive throwing star made of water smashed into its chest. It cried out in pain as it stumbled down on one knee. "Can you still fight Scizor?"

"Scizorrr..."

"OK then, use Flash Cannon to finish this up!"

"Don't let him get close Greninja. Use Night Slash to deflect it right back at it!"

"Ninjaa!"

Scizor released the beam of energy straight at Greninja, who danced around it until it pulled out its blade and deflected the attack right back into Scizor. Surprised, Wikstrom could only watch as Scizor was hit with its own attack. "No!"

Bonnie realized that Ash was acting different then before. He was no longer tired, and he was much more determined to win. Glancing over to Serena, an evil grin appeared on her face. "It'll be so fun to tease them later..." she thought to herself. Serena was meanwhile watching the battle in front of her, a worried expression on her face. If Ash suddenly lost his adrenaline, they would be in trouble. She clutched her ribbon while murmuring something inaudible to the others. Clemont was eagerly watching the battle as well, but instead of cheering, he was taking notes on the strategies the two combatants were using. He might have picked that up from Sawyer, though he denied it, saying that he was always taking notes during the battles. No one believed him, but they decided to play along with him.

"Scizor, get up!"

"Greninja, finish this with Water Shuriken! No holding back!"

Quickly Greninja grabbed the throwing star on its back and leaped into the air. It the performed a flip, bringing the Water Shuriken down onto Scizor's head and fainting it.

"Scizor is unable to battle; the winner is Greninja, making Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town the winner!"

The three onlookers cheered and applauded for their raven haired friend. Serena in particular was ecstatic at her boyfriend's victory, even without the key stone. She rushed into the stadium and embraced him tightly. "You did it Ash!" The two then shared a tender kiss. Clemont and Bonnie made their way over to Ash as Wikstrom recalled Scizor, who had reverted back to its original form.

"Congratulations Ash. You have defeated one of the Elite Four! As a reward, I present you with the M.R.D. It is a high tech device that allows you to use any of the moves your Pokémon have previously before. For example, your Greninja was once able to use Cut, but now it knows Night Slash. If you boot up the Move Reminder Device, you will be able to have Greninja use Cut once again!" Wikstrom explained as he handed the bulky device over to Ash. Clemont almost immediately began to examine it.

"Hmm...interesting device you have here. I'm probably going to disassemble it when we reach the next challenge." The others sweatdropped. Ash then spoke up. "Um, Clemont? I'm sorry but that is gonna have to wait. I need this thing for the upcoming battles."

"Oh yeah...hehe...I forgot."

Wikstrom then handed Ash an emblem that resembled an Aegislash. "This emblem signifies that you have cleared my challenge Ash. Congratulations!"

"Thank you Wikstrom," he said before turning to the others. "Where to next?"

"Probably Siebold Ash. He's the closest one to us," Serena explained.

"All right. Then we're going to Coumarine City!" Ash shouted before running off. The others were quick to follow, leaving Wikstrom and his referee alone. "Quite the interesting guy, don't you think?" asked the referee.

"Indeed. Although, I think he will make a fine Champion someday..."

After a quick checkup at the Pokémon Center, Ash and his friends were ready to leave Shalour City and headed east to Coumarine. Ash knew that this next battle probably wouldn't be as simple as before, so he decided on planning a strategy this time, instead of relying on brute force. He was suddenly reminded of Sawyer's analytic style of battling and a very important truth that he learned from the Hoenn native. "Sometimes Ash, you just gotta realize that no matter how long you strategize for your battles, things almost always go wrong. When that happens, you always should have a backup plan to fall back onto, like a plan B."

Ash remembered this. Even if he had a solid strategy to combat Siebold, he knew that the Elite Four member was a rather shrewd man, using cunning tactics to throw opponents off guard. As Ash set up camp, he resolved to think outside of the box for this upcoming battle, no matter how hard it would be. "A harder battle equals a sweeter victory," he thought to himself.


	32. Happy Birthday, Ash!

(A few weeks later...)

Ash and his friends had finally reached Coumarine City, and were unpacking their things into their hotel room. Ash pulled out his M.R.T. and began to help some of his past Pokémon remember past moves they had learned. Serena had finished her performance at Shalour, her title successfully defended from her challengers. Clemont was hard at work at another invention, while Bonnie lay sprawled across her bed scrolling through Serena's Pokedex. "Hmm, when I become a trainer, I think I'm going to catch a Klefki. That Klefki that Wikstrom used was really strong, huh Dedenne?"

"Nenene..." Dedenne muttered. It was not pleased with the fact that Bonnie was not content with her just using it in a battle. It decided to electrocute the young girl with Thundershock to get its point across, but it resulted in Clemont returning it to its Pokeball.

"I think that's enough, Bonnie. We really need to get you to bed before you get Pikachu upset. I don't need another explosion waking up half of the guests staying here," he chided. Bonnie smirked.

"But how come you get to blow things up? Don't _your_ inventions have louder and larger explosions?" she retorted with a hint of sass.

"M-my inventions never blow up unless I w-want them to!" Clemont shouted, exasperated.

"Oh yeah? Well, watch this," she slyly replied, before she snapped her finger. At that very moment the invention that the Lumiose gym leader was working on began to shake violently, throwing Clemont completely off guard. He watched helplessly as the familiar sound of an explosion was heard outside their room, waking Ash, who had fallen asleep on his desk, and startling Serena, causing her to shriek. The couple came running over at the familiar sound.

"Everyone all right?"

"Couldn't (cough) feel better! (cough cough)" Clemont muttered. Meanwhile Bonnie stood there, with an "I told you so" look plastered on her face.

"I think we should call it a day guys..." Serena suggested, before taking Bonnie to her room, allowing Clemont and Ash to clean up the mess. Serena brought the girl to her own room, before she shut the door. Bonnie was confused. "Why the sudden secrecy Serena?"

Serena quickly shushed her with a finger to her lips. After all, the boys were only on the other side of the door. "Because-"

"Because what? What? Tell me!" Bonnie said excitedly.

"Well, like I was saying... it's Ash's sixteenth birthday tomorrow! I need ideas to help surprise him," Serena quickly explained. Bonnie's face changed from confusion to joy upon hearing the news.

"I think I know what to do..." she whispered.

Suddenly, the muffled voice of Clemont was heard through the door.

"Bonnie! Time for bed!"

"Coming!" She then turned to Serena. "I got a few ideas. I need you to meet me downstairs at the Pokémon Center tomorrow morning OK?"

Serena nodded, before opening the door and letting Bonnie return to her bedroom. Ash walked into the shared room and crawled into the bed. Serena joined him, and the two drifted off to sleep in each others arms, a content smile on both of their faces.

* * *

The next morning arrived before any of them wanted to. Serena was awakened by the rays of sunlight gently peaking in through the blinds. Yawning, the honey blonde performer realized that she was in no position to escape. Ash's arms were wrapped tightly around her waist, and his head was snuggling into her shoulder. After a few moments of struggling, she gave up. "Bonnie will know what to do," she thought, before she brought her arms back around him and fell back asleep.

Ash awoke shortly after, rapidly blinking and letting out a massive yawn. Confused as to why there were streamers all over their room, he rubbed his eyes to focus on what was in front of him. The banner had a picture of a Pikachu and a Froakie, and it read "Happy Birthday Ash!" All round the room lay colorful balloons, and a card was lying on his desk. The Pokémon Trainer smiled to himself. " _She remembered after all these years..."_ He decided to enjoy the feeling of Serena cuddling with him for now, but he made a mental note to thank her doing this for her.

It had been some time before the couple finally woke up, with Serena wishing Ash a happy birthday. Ash then thanked the girl for taking the time to prepare for his birthday. Serena was just as shocked as he was when she looked around.

"Bonnie," her mind screamed out. She made a mental note to go and thank her when she got out of bed. Ash got out of bed and picked up the letter that was lying on his desk. Next to it lay a small box. It was a letter from Serena. He opened up the card and began to read.

" _Dear Ash,_

 _Happy sixteenth birthday! I'm so grateful to have met you again after that fateful encounter in the Viridian Forest in Kanto. I've learned so much from you, and you continue to support me even during hard times. I hope you enjoy this small gift I managed to buy for you. I know you will put it to good use._

 _Love,_

 _Serena_

Suddenly Ash gasped as he opened the box. Inside of it was a key stone. He looked at the stone, then back to Serena. His jaw dropped. "No way..."

Serena stood there, amused by the childish nature of her boyfriend, but was quickly tackled into an embrace from the raven haired trainer. The honey blonde performer was taken off guard and stumbled backwards, before she quickly regained her composure. By now her very red blush had subsided, and she wore a look of happiness on her face. Ash really liked her gift! She decided to leave out the part that she had it ever since the master class. "Thank you so much Serena!" he said. He then kissed her gently. Serena cooed contentedly. Today was going to be a great day.


	33. A Surprise

Shortly after they woke up, Ash and Serena got dressed and headed downstairs to the Pokémon Center lobby. Clemont and Bonnie were missing, and Nurse Joy was nowhere to be seen. The lights were also turned off. Ash stood there, perplexed, while Serena watched her naïve boyfriend try to piece together what was going on.

"Guys?! Where'd you all go?" No response. "Did Team Rocket come in here? All right then Pikachu, Use your cheeks to locate Dedenne. That way we'll at least know where Bonnie is. Wait, Pikachu?! You too?!"

Serena then walked up to Ash and lightly ruffled his hair. "You can be so naïve sometimes..." she spoke gently before she turned on the light, revealing a beautifully decorated Pokémon Center. Streamers and balloons were everywhere, and a banner that read "Happy Birthday, Kalos League Champ!" was hung up above the entryway. Ash looked around, completely dumbfounded. "Huh?"

"Happy Birthday, you silly!" Bonnie cheerfully shouted, before she tackled the bewildered trainer in a hug. Clemont was quick to restrain his sister from continuing, as she could get a little out of hand at times. Serena chuckled as Pikachu leapt out of its hiding spot and onto her shoulder, before it leapt onto Ash's head with a cheerful "Pika!" Meawhile Ash's other Pokémon came out of their hiding spots as well and smothered the Pokémon trainer with their own "affection". Gible was the first to act, clamping his jaws down on Ash's head. Next came Gliscor, who landed on his face before giving off a cheerful cry. Finally, his Glalie burst through the door and froze him solid. Charizard stomped over to its trainer and used a Flamethrower to melt the ice, but it left Ash covered in soot. "Aw hey guys! How did you get out here?!" he asked as his Pokémon all surrounded him. Nurse Joy stood there, stunned that Ash could take so many hits, spoke up. "Bonnie helped me release them from your box and hide them all around the center. Bonnie winked at Serena, who was too worried about the boy to even notice. "Does this happen often, Ash?" she asked. Just then, a familiar figure entered through the doors of the Pokémon Center. "Ashy-boy's used to all the love he gets by now, I hope," the boy said with a chuckle.

"Gary?!" Ash managed to call out through the eager shouts of his Pokémon.

"Yup, it's me Ashy-Boy. I heard you won against Wikstrom. So, how about a battle?"

"All right, yeah let's go!" Ash said as he recalled his Pokémon and returned them to the box. But as he opened the door and ran out, the ground began to shake. Pikachu took this as a sign to turn and get back into the Pokémon Center, but as it called out to Ash, it was already too late. A herd of stampeding Tauros appeared from nowhere and trampled the poor trainer. The Tauros stopped and turned in confusion. Where did Ash go? Then they noticed the boy, who had just gotten up from his fall, and they ran back towards him, flattening him once again. Ash sighed. "Not again..."

* * *

Gary and Clemont helped Ash herd the Tauros back to their makeshift enclosure before Gary went back inside to heal up his Pokémon he had used on his journey to Coumarine. Serena and Nurse Joy, meanwhile, were tending to Ash's injuries, though to Ash, it didn't hurt at all. Gary opened the door to Ash's room and sat down near him. "I think we should wait a bit," he laughed. Clemont then entered the room, followed closely by Bonnie, who was holding Ash's Oshawott in her arms. "Is now a good time for presents?" he asked.

"Open mine first Ash!" Bonnie eagerly exclaimed, with an annoyed Oshawott still in her arms. She quickly grabbed her present from her hiding spot and presented it to Ash.

"Ok, Bonnie."

"Open it, open it, OPEN IT!"

Ash ripped open the box and looked inside. He pulled out three Pokeballs. They were black on one side, and on the other, the usual white. Two yellow lines were present on its top half. "What are these kind of Pokeball?"

"They're called Ultra Balls, Ash. These ones are specially designed for catching stronger Pokémon! The best part is that they can be used to try to capture legendary Pokémon like Xerneas or Yveltal!"

"Whoa Awesome!" Ash gasped as he put the Ultra Balls into his pocket. Clemont then handed him his gift. "Here is my present Ash. I hope you enjoy it!" he said. Bonnie looked worried. "Um, bro, does it explode?"

"Don't worry Bonnie, I bought it this time."

Ash opened up the gift and inside was a strange case filled with several discs inside. "What're these?" he asked, perplexed.

"Its a collection of the most commonly used TMs, or Technical Machines. If you boot them up on your PC and drag the file into a Pokémon's Pokeball, the Pokémon inside will learn the move!"

"Science is so amazing!" Ash cried out, with stars in his eyes. Gary then stepped up to Ash. "Hey Ashy-Boy I have a gift too, but it's not really from me. I was stopping by the Pokémon lab to contact Professor Oak when Sycamore came in and told me to give you this," he said. He then handed a small box with a note on it. Ash took the note off and began to read.

 _Dear Ash,_

 _Congratulations on clearing your first Elite Four Challenge! I expected no less from a trainer with your skill caliber. In the box is a special ring that holds your key stone. One is for your Charizard, and the other is for you. Obviously the larger one will be used by your Charizard. I have also sent you a prototype Z crystal. The mega ring that you are holding right now is also a Z Ring! You may be wondering, what is a Z Crystal, or what is a Z ring. Let me explain. Z Rings hail from the Alola region, a faraway tropical paradise with their own special versions of gyms. Once a challenger has completed the trial, which is their version of a gym, they can obtain a Z Crystal. This allows trainers to transform their bond with their Pokémon into raw power, and with practice, execute a Z move. The Z Crystal I have sent you is replica of a Pikanium Z, for your Pikachu. Sice it is a replica, it only contains a fraction of its true power. Z Moves will take time to master, so don't expect to use one right away. However, the bond you share with Pikachu is phenomenal, so you may be able to trigger the move on your first try. I hope this helps you!_

 _Prof. Sycamore_

* * *

Ash slowly took out the Mega Z Ring and slipped it onto his wrist. Awed by the power it contained, he suddenly longed for a battle. Gary knew Ash well and broke the silence. "I bet'cha wanna battle right Ashy Boy?" Ash was silent for a few moments. He then got out of his seat and rushed outside, scrambling to pick up his Pokeballs on his way. Gary smirked. "I knew it." He then revealed his Mega Ring to the other companions, before he took off after Ash. Serena, Clemont and Bonnie were all dumbfounded at what they had just heard. They soon followed shortly after to join the other two on the battlefield.


	34. A Trainer's Bond

Gary stood on the left side of the makeshift stadium, tossing his Pokeball up and down and looking confident as always. Ash stood on the other side, his cap backwards and a Pokeball in his right hand. The three spectators, Clemont, Serena and Bonnie all stood to the side, excited to witness Ash's first attempt at Mega Evolution. Wasting no time to get into battle, Ash tossed his Pokeball into the air and released Charizard. The Flame Pokémon suspiciously eyed Gary. It's last encounter with Gary's Blastoise resulted in it having some sort of grudge on Charizard, making the water type more hostile than it should have been. It had to be wary if it was to win this time. Gary released his Blastoise, allowing the powerful Kanto starter to land with a massive thud onto the ground. "Blastoisssssssse!" It cried with a ferocious roar. Charizard stepped back and readied itself. Bonnie dashed off into the center of the stadium and yelled "Battle begin!" before she threw her arms in the air and shook them in all directions, before Clemont dragged her all the way back to the sidelines. Ash had already fastened his mega stone securely onto Charizard, and he lightly tapped the stone on his prototype ring. The stone responded with a faint glow, and suddenly several tendrils of light shot out of the ring and engulfed Charizard in a blinding light. Charizard roared as its body began to change.

Charizard's wings suddenly appeared rough and tattered, and two smaller winglets protruded out of its arms. Its tail grew several large spikes the appeared at the end near the glowing flame that burned even brighter than before. It still retained its body color, but it was much more powerful. Its head now sported three horns, giving Charizard a much more menacing appearance. Ash lifted his arm into the air. "Charizard! Mega Evolve!"

"That's Mega Charizard Y!" Clemont gasped in awe.

"It looks so cute! I wanna go pet it!" Bonnie squealed with excitement. Serena stood there, mesmerized. "He mastered it in one go! That's amazing! The bond he shares with it must really be strong. Even Korrina, who shared a strong bond with her Lucario since they were little, was not able to master mega evolution in one try.

The mega evolution symbol momentarily flashed in front of Charizard, signifying its success in mega evolving. Gary smirked at the sight before him. "Wow, Ashy-boy, you've outdone yourself this time. Being able to master mega evolution in one attempt is truly remarkable. Even still, we won't lose to a pair of rookies such as yourselves!" The spiky haired teenager then lifted his own hand and tapped his stone. "Let's show 'em what we got Blastoise! It's now your turn to mega evolve!"

Blastoise let out a roar as the energy tendrils surrounded it and engulfed it in a bright light as well. As the light faded, a much more intimidating Pokémon appeared in front of the Kanto fire starter. It now bore three water cannons. with two on its arms and one on top of its head. The head cannon was elongated to the size of a miniature cannon, and its shell gained a considerable amount of amour on its shell. The Water type snarled at Charizard, before it released several mock blasts of water into the air to intimidate Ash's Pokémon. Ash called out to Gary. "This won't be an official battle Gary! I just want to test out Mega Charizard and Pikachu's Z move, OK?"

"Sure thing Ash, but Blastoise is raring to fight. He's been training hard to take down Charizard, and that's how we came across this mega stone! Now Blastoise! Hydro Pump!"

"Kay Charizard! Ready? Now use Flamethrower!"

The attacks collided, causing a massive explosion in the process. Charizard's drought ability had powered Flamethrower and weakened Hydro Pump, allowing Charizard to score a direct hit on it as Blastoise was sent skidding backwards.

"Great job Charizard! Now let's let them hit us to test our defenses!"

"Blastoise Hydro Cannon!"

Blastoise charged up each of its cannons and tucked in its head. Water shot out of the two arm cannons, and a faint rumble was heard inside the head cannon, before a torrent of water was blasted out towards Charizard. The flame Pokémon covered its face with its winglets and braced for impact. The attack still did plenty of damage to Charizard, but it was still standing strong even after it was struck with the super effective damage. Drought had really helped it out during this battle, and Charizard let out a roar of approval of its new form. Ash chuckled, before he decided to recall it.

"It's OK buddy. You'll battle with Siebold OK? For now I only want to test your strength. I'll be testing out Pikachu's Z move next, and then we'll head over to Siebold and show him what we're made of! What do you say?"

Charizard slowly nodded as it was recalled. Pikachu then eagerly leapt out of Serena's arms and down to Ash. "Pi Pikachu!"

"Ready buddy?"

"Piiikaa!"

"You ready Gary?"

"Ready as always," he called back.

"OK Pikachu. Ready to use your Z move?"

"Pikachuuu!"

Ash lifted up his Mega Z Ring and swapped out the key stone for his Pikanium Z. He lightly tapped on the crystal, causing it to shine brightly. A yellow light briefly covered Ash, but it quickly left and engulfed Pikachu. Ash performed a short dance with Pikachu, before the little electric mouse leaped into the air and began to charge electricity. The energy that came from Ash surrounded it and gave it a tremendous boost in power. Pikachu unleashed its Z move at the helpless Blastoise, sending multiple bolts of crackling electricity crashing into the ground. Then, one powerful bolt shot out from Pikachu and struck Blastoise into the ground, leaving a huge crater in the ground and a fainted Blastoise in the center. "I just used 1000000 Volts!" Ash shouted excitedly as he fist pumped Pikachu, who was worried for Blastoise. Gary returned it and set off for the Pokémon Center. "Siebold's gonna be in for a big surprise," he chuckled before he left. The others just stood there, frozen by amazement at what had just occurred.


	35. Enter Siebold of the Elite Four

Ash had mastered the power of mega evolution and Z moves with relative ease so far, allowing him extra time to prepare for his match the next day. He was currently seated at his PC system, scanning through the data collected concerning the water type Elite Four member Siebold. He had a Barbaracle, a Starmie, a Blastoise and a Gyarados. Ash had decided to go with a very reliable team for this match. He had chosen Sceptile, Bayleef, Bulbasaur, Charizard and Pikachu. The raven haired trainer had made good use of the TM Solar Beam and was well prepared for the battle. Siebold was also known for his strategic style of battling, relying on cunning tactics and surprise moves to fool opponents into becoming over confident. Ash was well prepared however, facing the likes of Clemont and Sawyer in battle before. Both were analytics, but somehow the impromptu strategies Ash made to counter them on the go managed to pull him through most engagements. Satisfied with his share of birthday cake (which was the entire one; the others had bought a smaller cake for themselves to enjoy as well) and a strategy already decided, the Pokémon trainer drifted off to sleep.

The next morning Ash jumped out of bed and ran downstairs to get in some last minute practice before the match. Serena was woken up from the boy's sudden movement and sighed. She loved him, but sometimes his enthusiasm for battle annoyed just a bit. She yawned before getting dressed and entering into the kitchen to prepare something for him when he realized that he hadn't eaten. Clemont and Bonnie were also awoken, though the wake up call for them was much worse. Clemont had decided to test his "Bonnie Waker Upper Mark 4", but as usual, his little contraption resulted in a minor explosion that only woke up the two of them, much to Clemont's relief and Bonnie's annoyance.

"Morning Serena! Where's Ash?" Bonnie chirped. Her mood had changed drastically over a very short time span, causing the older honey blonde girl to chuckle.

"He's out training, but he'll be back when he realizes how hungry he is," she responded.

"OK! I'll help you prepare breakfast for him!"

Ash was able to successfully get some practice before his match. Clemont had informed him that Siebold had challenged him to a double battle, so they would have to adjust the plan slightly to help suit the requirements. The young blonde was very eager to see how Ash would handle against a double battle specialist, as he had only barely managed to defeat Olympia at Anistar City. Ash spent the rest of his time preparing for his battle, adjusting only a few minor things. He then returned his Pokémon and headed back inside for breakfast. Serena was waiting for him, hands on her hips. "Ash! Come on! You need to eat lots before your match! You can't battle on an empty stomach!"

Ash rubbed the back of his neck. "Yes Serena," he replied softly with a hint of guilt. The honey blonde girl walked over to him and quickly pecked his cheek. "It's all right _Ashy_ ," she teased. Ash's face grew bright red. "Y-you remember from all the w-way back then?!" he stuttered out. She merely winked. Bonnie snickered. "Yeah Ashy! If you don't finish your food, you'll miss your match!"

* * *

After a few minutes, Ash picked up his bag and packed his equipment. The others followed, and soon the traveling family was on the road to Siebold's challenge. The four of them paid for their train tickets and stepped on. The Coumarine bullet train zipped off towards their destination very quickly. Upon Arrival, they were met by a tall young man in his twenties. "Are you Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town?"

"Yup, that's me!"

"I see. Well, I am here to escort you to your destination. The arena where challengers battle with Siebold is located off the coast. If you would like, I'll pay for your ride."

"Ride?"

"Yes. We are implementing the element of Poke Ride from the Alola region to help immerse our citizens in the beauty of the area. You will all be given a Sharpedo to ride on if you wish, but an alternative would be a Lapras for two. Would you like to sign up?"

"Sure! What do you guys say?"

"I wanna ride alone on a Sharpedo!" Bonnie squealed.

"I don't really have the best memory of riding Pokémon..." Clemont trailed off, remembering the Mamoswine that they had taken to get to Ash's gym battle.

"I don't know about this Ash... aren't Sharpedo dangerous?"

"The Sharpedo we use for our rides are well trained and were personally raised by humans. They shouldn't be hostile around you," the man explained.

Ash gently grabbed her hand. "If you want, we can take the Lapras," he whispered.

"Then it's settled! I'll go rent your Pokémon right away!" the man shouted before dashing off to a nearby facility.

He came back with four swimming suits. "These are for you guys. When you wear it, the Pokémon will be able to respond to your directions, making it a whole lot easier to control your Pokémon. With that, I'll take my leave."

"I call this one!" Bonnie shouted excitedly.

"You're the only one going on a Sharpedo in the first place," Clemont muttered dryly as he mounted his own Lapras.

Serena and Ash helped each other onto their Lapras as well, and they carefully seated themselves securely. Bonnie then screamed "HI YAHHHH!" signalling to the Sharpedo to start. Sharpedo obeyed and sent Bonnie flying with it into the air, before it raced off toward the island. Ash and Serena were next, starting off at a slow pace and then accelerating slowly. Unaccustomed to having the ocean spray in her face and the waves splashing her, Serena clung onto Ash's back. Meanwhile Ash was having the time of his life riding on a Lapras to battle Siebold. Clemont was the last to leave, and with a long sigh he motioned for the Lapras to head off. Like on land, he was also the slowest out of them, riding along at a painfully low speed.

As Ash and Serena neared the island, they saw Bonnie, already in her usual attire, standing with a tall blonde man in a elegant white and blue cloak. After disembarking, the tall man walked over to Ash and shook his hand. "Greetings Ash. I am Siebold of the Elite Four. I believe you are entitled to a battle with me?"

"That's right! I can't wait for our battle!"

"First, you must answer this question that I ask all newcomers. Do you think Pokémon battling is considered an art, like fine cuisine is?"

"Well, both are awesome, so yes!"

"Interesting response."


	36. A Battle by the Sea

The small group of trainers entered the Flood Chamber for the first time. Siebold stood at the end of the chamber, his back turned. "I do believe I am satisfied with your response, young challenger, though I cannot agree with your reason for saying so. Either way, we both agree, so you will have your battle. Please, allow me to make the necessary preparations." Siebold then walked up to a small device that was suspended on the wall and punched in the code, revealing four Ultra Balls. The referee had made his way over to them and had requested for all spectators to follow him to the viewing area. The three friends wished Ash good luck and followed the referee. As they left, the room darkened. A faint noise that sounded like rushing water could be heard all around the stadium. Suddenly the room lit up, and the two seemingly ornamental chains lifted two massive tanks containing water high into the air. The tanks then burst, flooding the entire area with water. Luckily, Ash was only up to his ankles, so his Pokémon would safely be able to battle. Siebold was seen slowly descending the stairs and stepped into the water. "Welcome challenger! I am the Elite Four's water type specialist, Siebold! Shall we begin?"

"You're on! Let's go Bayleef! You too Bulbasaur!"

"I had suspected that you would use grass types against me. Naturally, I planned ahead and retrieved by strongest Pokémon to counter them. Barbaracle, Gyarados, you're up!"

"Battle begin!"

"Bulbasaur, Sleep Powder on Gyarados! Bayleef, use Razor Leaf to hit both of them!"

"Not so fast. Gyarados, use Bounce to evade! Barbaracle, use Swords Dance."

Gyarados leaped out of the radius of Sleep Powder and into the air, while Barbaracle took the Razor Leaf to its chest, resulting in looks of shock from Ash's friends. Barbaracle then performed a peculiar dance, causing three blades to rise into the air before crashing into it, sharply raising its attack. Siebold was now ready to finish the two Grass starters, and he ordered the next move. "Barbaracle, X Scissor!

The water and ground type Pokémon lunged at Bayleef and crossed its arms to form an X. Ash was ready though, and countered with a move of his own. "Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip to grab Bayleef and hurl her into the air! Bayleef, get ready to strike with a Body Slam!"

The Kanto grass starter nimbly dodged Gyarados' Bounce and shot its vines out to retrieve Bayleef. Bayleef was thrown into the air, but it knew what to do next. It tucked its body inward and prepared to tackle Barbaracle with full force. The unsuspecting Pokémon looked up in horror, as it was sent into the ground with the powerful attack. "Now Bulbasaur, Vine Whip to hold it in place! Bayleef, finish it with Razor Leaf!" Siebold's Pokémon was helpless as Bulbasaur restricted its movement with Vine Whip, and Bayleef sent a barrage of leaves straight for it. A minor explosion occurred.

"Gyarados, use the smoke to surprise them with Ice Fang!"

The smoke cleared to reveal a fainted Barbaracle, but as the referee was about to announce the winner of the match, Gyarados appeared and bit Bayleef in the leg. The icy cold jaws managed to freeze it solid, rendering Ash offensively useless. "Aqua Tail!"

Gyarados quickly swung its tail around and smashed the frozen Bayleef into a nearby wall. Bulbasaur looked on in panic as Gyarados shifted its view to the little grass type. "Poison Powder, quick!"

"Ice Fang!"

Just as Gyarados opened its jaws to bite Bulbasaur, the little grass type ejected a toxic substance into its mouth, causing Gyarados to wince in pain and shake violently. "Vine whip to hold it in place, and then use Energy Ball!"

"Not this time. Ice Fang on its vines!"

"Bulbasaur, let go!" Ash cried out in panic, but to no avail. It was already too late. Gyarados sank its freezing teeth into Bulbasaur, causing it to cry out in pain. Then Gyarados hoisted the tiny Pokémon into the air and flung it into a wall. The referee rushed over to where it fell. "Bulbasaur is unable to battle; the winner is Gyarados!"

"Good job buddy, take a good rest. Pikachu, Charizard! You're up!"

The two trusty Pokémon appeared, one from its Pokeball, and the other from its trainer's shoulder. It was time to test the strategy. "Pikachu! Start off with Quick Attack! Charizard! Get ready!"

Charizard dug its claws into the ground and prepared to unleash its new learned move. Pikachu took off at lightning speed and forcefully headbutted Gyarados in the chest. The reeling Gyarados was then hit by it once more, before it leaped out of the way for Charizard to use its move. "Blast Burn!"

Charizard flew to the top of the stadium and slammed its fist deep into the ground, causing a fissure to rupture towards Gyarados. Flames erupted from the fissure and surrounded the water type. The circle of flames then closed in and hit the Gyarados with full force. Gyarados had taken way to much damage, and one last hit from the Poison Powder that had been inflicted on it fainted it. "Gyarados is unable to battle; the winners are Pikachu and Charizard!"

"Impressive, but now it is time for my counterattack! Blastoise, Starmie! Come on out!"

"All right, bring it on!"

"Blastoise Hydro Pump! Starmie, Dazzling Gleam!"

"Charizard fly out of the way! Pikachu use Thunderbolt!" The two ever loyal Pokémon dodged the attacks and countered with their own. The four combatants were now in a stalemate, with neither of them deciding to forfeit. The battle was off to a promising start, but little did Ash know that he was falling into Siebold's trap. Ash ordered the next move. "Pikachu, Electro Ball on Starmie! Charizard, Steel Wing to finish it off!"

"Siebold nodded at his two Pokémon. "Get ready to counterattack guys. Draw them in close, and when they're in range, you know what to do."


	37. A Close Call

"Blastoise, get in front of Starmie and use Rapid Spin to deflect Electro Ball! Starmie, the use Scald!"

Just as the Electro Ball crashed into Starmie, Blastoise retracted its head into its shell and deflected the sphere of crackling electricity back towards Charizard, who was now rapidly approaching Starmie. It readied itself, its wings glowing a faint gray, and struck Starmie. Starmie reeled back, but prepared its Scald attack, as Charizard was occupied with evading Electro Ball. As it dodged the projectile, it was immediately met with a scalding beam of boiling water. Pikachu watched helplessly as Charizard was slumped on the floor. Suddenly, the frozen Bayleef that was not recalled at the back of the stadium broke out of its icy confinement and rushed toward Ash. The raven haired trainer recalled Charizard for later use, seeing that his Bayleef was still able to battle. "Ready Bayleef?"

The Pokémon let out a cry of approval. "Bay!"

"Right, then let's go! Use Giga Drain on Blastoise! Pikachu, Use Thunderbolt on Starmie!"

"Blastoise, Ice Beam on Bayleef! Then Starmie, send them back with Dazzling Gleam!"

Blastoise shot an extremely accurate Ice Beam at Bayleef, striking its leg and freezing them. Ash grit his teeth. "Not again," he thought. Pikachu meanwhile, had managed to hit Starmie with Thunderbolt, but it quickly countered with Dazzling Gleam, temporarily blinding them before sending them flying backwards. Bayleef struggled to get up, but Pikachu was still standing strong.

"Blastoise! Skull Bash on Bayleef! Starmie, Recover."

"Bayleef, Grass Knot on Blastoise. Pikachu, follow up with Thunderbolt!"

Bayleef stood prepared, as Blastoise shot towards it. Pikachu began to charge up its electricity, all while Starmie was regenerating its health. Just as Blastoise was about to make contact, Bayleef called out two vines that ensnared the Kanto water starter and effectively tripped it. Pikachu then leaped high into the air and released its charged up electricity into a powerful electrical discharge. Blastoise skidded backwards, but was unfazed. Bayleef's wound was slowly taking a toll on it, and soon its whole body was once again encased in ice. It could only watch as Pikachu was flung into a nearby wall from a powerful Hydro Pump. It then closed its eyes and concentrated. It could detect its trainer's worry. It could hear the shouts of its friends. Not this time. Bayleef roared as its body was engulfed in a blue light. The ice around it shattered as it evolved. Ash turned his head in shock. "It's evolving..."

"MEGAAAAANIUMM!" it cried out.

"Wow! It evolved into Meganium! Awesome! All right Meganium, jump and then use Giga Drain on Starmie! Pikachu, use Iron Tail on the ground!"

Pikachu slammed its glowing white tail into the ground, causing debris to be scattered everywhere and hurled into the air. Meganium successfully used Giga Drain on Starmie, restoring its health that it had lost and sapping Starmie's energy. "Now Pikachu! Iron Tail on the flying rocks! Aim them for Blastoise's cannon!"

Pikachu leaped into the air swung its tail around, knocking several stones into one of Blastoise's cannons. Siebold quickly countered. "Use Hydro Pump!"

Once again, Pikachu was hit by a forceful blast of water, knocking it back several feet. Pikachu struggled to get up. Seeing this as a chance to finish it off, Siebold commanded the next move. "Blastoise! Hydro Cannon!"

Meganium halted its barrage of attacks, and used Vine Whip to grab Blastoise, before it hurled it into the air. Pikachu then followed up with an Iron Tail. Blastoise was sent into the ground, but somehow, it got right back up. Siebold lifted his wrist and tapped on his key stone. "Blastoise, Mega Evolve!"

Blastoise was enveloped by several tendrils of light, before it burst out. It was now reminiscent of Gary's mega Blastoise, making Ash shudder in anticipation. Siebold calmly ordered the next move. "Mega Blastoise, Ice Beam on Meganium."

"Pikachu, Iron Tail to deflect! Meganium, use Vine Whip on the ground to push yourself upwards!"

Both of the Pokémon did as they were told, but Pikachu was carelessly flung away. Meganium evaded the first Ice Beam, but was knocked out by the next. "Meganium is unable to battle; the winners are Mega Blastoise and Starmie!" The referee called out, apparently unsurprised. Ash recalled the fainted Pokémon and, after a few words of encouragement, released Sceptile. The two of them looked at each other and nodded. Pikachu's cheeks crackled in agreement. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt on Starmie! Then Sceptile, use Leaf Blade!" The two nodded.

Pikachu launched another Thunderbolt at Starmie, landing a solid hit. Still reeling, Starmie was unable to resist the unrelentless attacks made by Sceptile, and it was finally taken down by a combination of Grass and Electric moves. "Starmie is unable to battle, the winners are Pikachu and Sceptile!" The referee announced, but little did he know that Siebold had planned for this and was ready for the next move. "Blastoise, use Ice Beam in succession!"

Blastoise had already taken aim, and when its trainer ordered the move, It fired an enormous beam of ice that was able to knock out Sceptile and Pikachu in one hit, sending them flying. Ash luckily ran up and caught them, before he sadly returned them. His final Pokémon emerged from his Pokeball. Charizard appeared in a flash of light, giving off a massive roar. Ash held his keystone and tapped it, and the transformation took place. Charizard was engulfed in light. Then, Charizard revealed his Mega Evolution to the surprised Elite Four Member. "Solar Beam, full power!"

The drought caused by the mega evolution had significantly weakened Blastoise's water attacks, and the sweltering heat did not help it at all. It could feel its adrenaline wearing off, but as Siebold ordered a Hydro Pump, it regained that energy and directed all of its energy into the attack. Solar Beam collided with Hydro Pump, followed by a huge explosion. Ash and Siebold held their breath as the smoke cleared. Both were shocked. The two of them were still standing. Ash then noticed Charizard stumble backwards. Suddenly Siebold gasped as his Blastoise reverted to its original form, fainted.

"Blastoise is unable to battle; The winner is Charizard, which means the winner is Ash Ketchum, the challenger!"


	38. Evil Resurfaces

"Xerosic, the weapon is primed and ready to fire. Shall we commence a test?" a grunt who had finished his diagnostic of the Ultimate Weapon. Xerosic smirked evilly. "Begin as soon as preparations are complete. I am very eager to see how my replica compares to the real one created thousands of years ago. Do not waste any time!"

"Yes sir, right away!"

The grunt entered a nearby room and sat down in his seat, alongside several others. They each completed the necessary preparations and prepared to fire. Xerosic stood on the upper level of the lab, in front of a window overlooking Geosenge Town. "Commence the test imm-"

"Xerosic, Sir! We have been informed from an inside agent that the boy Ash has nearly finished his Elite Four Challenge! He will be arriving here in a few days. Shall we wait to use him as a test subject along with his four friends and their Pokémon?" Matt panted out.

"Who is this inside agent?"

"She refuses to give her name in the situation that someone would uncover that she was working in affiliation with Neo Team Flare. However, she does inform us that she once maintained close ties with the boss."

"I see. I believe I know who you are referring to. I will contact her immediately and fill her in on our plan. And yes, we will delay our test until he arrives."

Little did Neo Team Flare know that AZ was watching them closely. After he had heard enough, he set off to find Ash and his friends.

* * *

"Congratulations Ash! I present you with this medallion to signify your win over Siebold of the Elite Four!" The Pokémon chef happily declared. Ash released his Pokémon, who each let out their exhausted cry of joy. The referee walked over to the trainer and pointed out a little convenient facility to the back of the stadium. "Ash, there's a Pokémon Center over there. It's fully automated, so don't worry. Siebold had it installed there ever since with Team Flare. They managed to KO his Pokémon because he had just fought a Pokémon Connoisseur by the name of Cilan."

"Cilan's here?"

By this time, the others had reached Ash and each congratulated him in their own way. "You did great out there Ash! I knew you could do it!" Serena joyfully shouted, before she tackled him in a hug. Bonnie's eyes mischievously. "Realllllyyy? I thought I heard a certain someone glancing ever so worriedly at her Ashy-oomph-hey!" Bonnie screamed as Clemont had conveniently covered her mouth at the right time and was using Aipom arm to keep her in the air. "We all believed you could do it, Ash, "Clemont politely said.

"Thanks, guys. Now I just have to defeat two more!"

Serena then released him from her embrace and pulled out her tablet. "Malva is next. Fire type specialist. She's currently awaiting you at Geosenge Town. We'll probably make it there in a few days if we leave tomorrow morning."

"I'd be wary around Malva if I were you. She's known to have a fiery temper, and she apparently keeps grudges for a long time," Siebold muttered, remembering his mock battle with her back when they had been selected.

"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks Siebold."

"No problem, Ash. Stay safe out there!"

It was night time. Ash and his friends had settled down in a hotel nearby and returned the rented Sharpedo and Lapras. Bonnie yawned as she scrolled through Serena's Pokedex. "When I become a trainer, I wanna catch a Cutiefly! It's so cute!"

"Sorry Bonnie, but that Pokémon is native to the Alola region. You'll have to fly there to catch one," Clemont commented sympathetically.

"Then what about Comfey?"

"It too comes from Alola."

In the next room, Ash was resting in Serena's lap while scrolling through her tablet, trying to develop a strategy against Malva. Serena was keeping herself occupied by combing through Ash's hair, trying to mat down his messy hair. "You really need to work on your appearance Ash," she chuckled. Ash looked up into her face. "Don't I look better like this?"

Serena giggled before she placed a quick kiss on his nose. "To me, yes. To others, I'm not so sure."

"Whatever. I'm fine with you being the only one."

"We should get some rest. It's getting late, and you need to be well rested for the trip tomorrow," Serena commented. Ash let out a yawn. "Yeah."

* * *

The next morning, the quartet exited the hotel rather quickly. Ash was eager to complete his next challenge, dragging a weary Serena, a confused Clemont, and a snoring Bonnie. "Why the ruckus Ash? It's only 7," Clemont yawned.

"Because we need to get to Geosenge Town!"

"It's not going anywhere, you know that right?" Serena groggily whispered. Ash didn't respond, but kept moving. His walking came to a stop abruptly when he came face to face with a giant figure. Ash let out a surprised yelp and tripped. "Ow..."

The stranger spoke quietly. "Sorry."

"No problem. My name's Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, and this is my partner, Pika- oh." Pikachu was snoring lightly on his shoulder, barely hanging on. "Whoops, sorry about that buddy." He then turned his attention to the tall man. "Who are you?"

"You may calle me AZ. I am here to warn you. You and your friends will be in great danger should you continue to Geosenge Town. Team Flare was been resurrected, and they are planning to get revenge on what you did to them. I have a bad feeling that Malva is in on this as well. You must wait."

"Well, Mr. AZ, that does sound dangerous, but really, who cares? I mean, we've defeated Team Flare once, how easy will it be to get 'em again?"

"You do not understand do you."

"I'm sorry?"

"Listen to me. The scientist Xerosic has replicated the ancient Ultimate Weapon. He is preparing to cleanse the world of people and Pokémon alike to fulfill the wish of Lysandre."

"Wait, the Ultimate Weapon...what's that?"

The others had finally dragged themselves up the hill. Clemont spoke up. "The Ultimate Weapon was used years ago to wipe out all life in the Kalos region, save for its creator and those who were protected. Fortunately, it was not at full power, and those who were struck were frozen in stone, instead of being killed. Over the years, the people of Geosenge Town have collected the stone bodies and erected them on the route that leads to their town to honor them.

"The Ultimate Weapon Team Flare has replicated is at full power though. If you do not do something quick, who knows what will happen to you?"

Serena shrieked. "Ash behind you!" The raven haired trainer turned. In front of him stood several grunts, who each released their Pokémon. Pikachu had finally gotten rid of its drowsiness, and it leaped off of Ash's shoulder and let out a battle cry. AZ released his Pokémon as well, revealing a small Pokeball that held his Torkoal. The grunts spoke. "You shouldn't a been spying on us AZ. Now you're gonna pay!"

* * *

 **That finishes this chapter guys. I apologize for the rather inconsistent uploads, but I'm pretty busy. I also want to let you guys know that I won't be uploading over the Christmas break. In that case, I wish you all a Merry Christmas, and I'll see you next time!**


	39. Rocket's Return

AZ released his Torkoal, who let out an intimidating roar for a Pokémon of its size. The Flare grunts released their Pokémon and ordered attacks. "Zubat, Leech Life! Electrike, Spark!"

"Torkoal, Lava Plume."

All of a sudden, Torkoal fired a massive blast of searing lava at the grunt's Pokémon. They fainted in one hit, surprising everyone present. AZ kept his stoic expression, but he was pleased that Torkoal had dealt with them so quickly. Ash, after recuperating from the shock, took a step forward and ordered the finishing move.

"H-hey, that's not how it goes!"

"Yeah, you're not playing fair!"

"We even did our battle pose for a guaranteed success!"

"Thunderbolt," Ash commanded with an icy tone. Pikachu smirked evilly as it leaped into the air and fired off its signature attack. The Thunderbolt struck the Team Flare grunts and their fainted Pokémon and sent them flying, similar to Team Rocket, but as the smoke cleared, two familiar figures appeared. Bryony and Celosia adopted their signature battle pose, before they sent out Drapion and Liepard. Bryony then quickly drew out a small sidearm out of her pocket and fired a bullet at Torkoal. The bullet morphed into a sort of energy sphere, and when it hit Torkoal, it was immediately returned to the Pokeball without AZ doing it.  
"What are you doing?"

"Oh. It's just a gun that was developed by Lysandre for the protection of civilians wandering through the slums at night. The weapon prevents criminals from releasing their Pokémon, allowing the victim to escape relatively unharmed." Bryony then took aim at Pikachu. "Ash, you are going to pay for the death of Lysandre, with your little friend over there."

Ash looked in horror as Pikachu narrowly dodged a bullet and used Electro Ball on another. It was slowly tiring out, and Ash could only look away as Pikachu struggled to dodge the oncoming bullets. It was down on one knee by the time Bryony had used the entire magazine, and she was reloading currently. Pikachu felt exhausted. It was about to give up, when a familiar trio of friends/fiends appeared.

"Prepare for trouble..."

"And make it double!"

The others turned to see the familiar faces of Jessie, James, Wobbuffet and Meowth. "Hey, what yous think you're doin!" Meowth said.

"Pestering the twerps is our job! Not yours!" James added in.

"You're a disgrace! Only Team Rocket gets to have the privilege!" Jessie said indignantly.

Bryony and Celosia looked at each other, then shrugged their shoulders. "Liepard, Shadow Claw. Drapion, Sludge Bomb."

"Mimikyu, come on out and use Shadow Sneak!"

"Bewear, get ready with Hammer Arm!"

The two brand new Pokémon appeared in a flash of light and quickly overpowered the others. Liepard was taken down after Bewear had slammed its fist down on its head, and Drapion was frozen in fear of the eerie Pokémon in front of it, allowing Mimikyu to score a direct hit. Bewear then finished it off with a Giga Impact.

"What is this madness?!" Bryony cried.

"I don't know, but the new boss isn't gonna like this!" Celosia replied.

James then took a step forward. "Bewear, you know what to do."

Bewear gave a look of innocence towards the two, surprising the duo, before it grabbed them in a hug and ran off with them in its arms. "Hey! Put me down right now!"

"Stop it, you overgrown teddy bear!"

Team Rocket watched as the two disappeared with Bewear into a nearby forest. They then turned around to face Ash and the others. "I see you've been doin a lota stuff since we's left!" Meowth spoke up.

Pikachu picked itself up and leaped up in front of Ash, its cheeks crackling.

"Whoa whoa whoa. We just came back from our trip in Alola! I don't need to remember the feeling of being shocked again." James recoiled.

"We're on your side, twerps. Team Flare's been on our nerves lately, so working with you doesn't seem so bad," Jessie added.

"Fine. You can help. Team Flare's base is in Geosenge Town. We're headed there now for Ash's Elite Four battle," Serena said. Clemont scratched his head. "Is that why you haven't been bothering us lately?"

"Yup, dat's right!" Meowth replied. "We were sent by da boss to a new region he discuvad. We even caught some new Pokémon on da way! Alola's pwetty gweat! Dere's so much to see an do! I heard dat all the region's Pokémon League Champions are goin to set up a Pokémon League there! You guys should go someday, specially if the twerp becomes da champion!" Bonnie was standing there, amazed by the two Pokémon Team Rocket had used to beat Team Flare so effortlessly. "That's a Mimikyu, right?"

"It is. The little pest was really annoying before we it. It swatted away all of my Pokeballs!" James replied.

"Luckily _I_ was able to catch it with my Luxury Ball that I bought here in Kalos! I told you those souvenirs would come in handy," Jessie proudly stated. James rolled his eyes. Bonnie's eyes were sparkling. "Ash, when you go to Alola with Serena. I want you to catch me a Mimikyu! It's so cute!"

Ash was confused. "But Bonnie, I'm aiming to become Kalos Champion. Doesn't that mean I have to stay here?"

"Not really Ash. While you are away, the past champion will take care of things for you!" Clemont said, bringing Bonnie's hopes up once again. "So can you Ash?"

"I probably will go to Alola in the future, but I don't know if Serena will want to go."

"Of course I'll go Ash! I heard that the newly discovered Pokémon are great at dancing, so I can probably use them in my showcases! Plus, I don't really want to go anywhere without Ash anyways."

Ash beamed. AZ then spoke up. "All right. We'll need to keep moving. We should reach Geosenge in about 48 hours."

"Right. Let's move!" answered Ash, pumping his fist.


	40. Reminiscence

_Two weeks later..._

Ash and his friends entered the quaint little town of Geosenge after days of walking and camping. Team Rocket was long gone, and the quartet was left with AZ. They wasted no time in arriving, as Ash was eager to battle Malva. AZ kept a watch on the young group, making sure they weren't walking into a trap. Serena had tried to convince Ash to slow down a little, saying that the others couldn't keep up. Ash agreed, but in reality, Serena was worried for Ash. The prophecy of Olympia was still fresh on her mind, and she grew increasingly distraught every time she glanced at the sleeping trainer. Unbeknownst to her, AZ knew all of this, and had mentally resolved to slow down Ash, for his safety. He too, knew firsthand of the dangers of the Ultimate Weapon. After all, he had created it. The five of them now stood on a hill that gave them a clear view of the town. Serena closed her eyes. "It's so peaceful..." she murmured. Ash turned to her. "Yeah... it is.. kinda makes you want to think right?" he said wistfully. Clemont gazed at his companion. He had never known this side of Ash. "I know what you mean..." Even Bonnie was silent. After several minutes of complete silence, with the occasional cry of a Braviary or Fletchinder, the group made their way into the town and to the Pokémon Center. Their Pokémon were pretty tired from the long trip, and could use a rest. They entered and booked a room. While Nurse Joy and Wigglytuff tended to their Pokémon, the trainers decided to take a break to unpack and prepare. AZ had left for the woods, where he had constructed a small hut as his home. Ash's Elite Four battle would take place tomorrow, so the group decided to sleep early that night. All four of them were unaware of her affiliation with Team Flare, however. As Ash pulled over the covers, he felt like something was off. Why was it so quiet here? Where were the citizens? The Pokémon? Thinking nothing of it, the raven haired trainer drifted off into a deep slumber, a sleeping performer next to him.

The next morning was rather uneventful. Ash woke up to the scent of lavender coming from Serena's hair. Her back was resting against him, and his arms were around her waist. The raven haired trainer noticed Pikachu as well, in Serena's arms, snoring lightly and murmuring "Pikachu" in its sleep. Ash gently shook her awake. "Hey. It's time to get up, sleepyhead."

"Mmhmmm" she murmured. "Five...more minutes mom..."

Ash chuckled lightly. "Serena, it's time to get up," he softly spoke.

"Morning Ash..." she said as she turned to face him.

"Hey. It's time to get up."

"It's been too long since I've slept in a proper bed though. I don't really want to get up," she pouted. She then snuggled into his chest and wrapped her arms around him. Ash smiled.

"Fine. Five more minutes," Ash said.

It was quite a while before the whole group had awoken. Serena and Clemont had prepared breakfast, and after eating, they packed off and got ready to leave. Before they left, Ash inquired the whereabouts of Malva. Nurse Joy had informed him that Malva was currently residing in an abandoned Team Flare research facility for him. The facility was just a little north of the town, giving Ash a little time to train. Ash had decided to his Greninja, Pikachu, Gliscor, and Krookodile. Malva's Elite Four Challenge was a little different than the others. She was notorious for implemented vicious tactics to crush her opponents. On top of that, she only permitted four Pokémon to participate in battle. She was quickly becoming one of Ash's most challenging and unforgiving opponents, aside from Wulfric. The way the ice type gym leader had so ruthlessly dispatched of Greninja was still a painful reminder to Ash of how weak he was in the past. But now, he had changed, and he was now fighting for more than achieving his dream. The raven haired trainer closed his eyes and remembered the time of his depression, and the time when Serena had come to search for him. It was at this time that she had confessed her feelings to him, and it was also the first time he had felt that way towards a girl. He remembered that they had made a promise in a cave that they had taken shelter in during a storm. Serena promised to win her Master Class Performance if Ash promised her that he would become the Champion of Kalos. Serena had already fulfilled her half of the promise, and now it was up to Ash to keep his end of the promise. He looked down at his ever loyal partner Pikachu and smiled. "We're gonna win this all way, aren't we buddy?"

The little mouse looked up and pumped its fist. "Pi-ka!"

"We're gonna make the most out of these last few hours. All right, everyone come on out!" Gliscor, Greninja, and Krookodile appeared before him, each of them pumped for their upcoming battle. "Right guys, let's do this! We're gonna win this battle without even lifting a finger! Then we'll take on Drasna, and finally we'll get to battle a Pokémon Champion! We'll continue to get stronger, and someday we'll fulfill my dream of becoming a Pokémon master!"

From the distance, Serena watched with admiration as Ash was trying to give a pep talk to them. She giggled, but she remembered Ash's promise to her. She clutched the ribbon that he gave her and whispered. "I know you can do it. It's just not like you to quit without a fight. When you've won the title of Champion, I'll be the first to congratulate you."

Ash was then seen turning his cap around and pumping his fist. "OK guys. Let's do this!"


	41. Capture

An hour had passed since Ash had begun his training. He had now decided to take a break and get some rest before his match. Serena accompanied him, making sure he actually was getting his rest and not training somewhere else. Ash was tired though, and he soon fell asleep in Serena's lap. She gave him a soft kiss on his nose and decided to play with his hair. Something told her she would be stuck here for quite some time. Her thoughts drifted to her Milotic. It was very different compared to other ones she had seen in pictures or in paintings on her tablet. Realization then struck her. It was a shiny Milotic. Ash must have spent hours trying to reel one in for her. Serena smiled faintly before she pulled out its Pokeball. A small engraving was visible on it. She rubbed her eyes slightly, not really believing what she saw. The engraving read the following short, but sweet, message: We'll stand together, forever. -Ash. The honey blonde performer was amazed. She gently caressed the small Pokeball that reminded her of the boy she loved most. Suddenly, Ash woke up without warning, his eyes fluttering open. "Serena? How long have I...been sleeping?"

"For a few hours, I'd say."

"What time is it?"

"4 PM."

"Oh. My match is at 5, so I have one more hour, but right now, I just want to sleep here for a bit," the raven haired trainer muttered lazily, before his head laid back down into her lap. Serena just sat there, amused.

"Fine by me," she sighed contentedly.

* * *

It was almost 5 when Ash woke up again. His Pokémon were given a quick checkup, and after verification, were deemed ready to battle. Ash gratefully thanked Nurse Joy and headed off with his friends to the outskirts of Geosenge Town. Clemont had finally invented a reliable GPS device, and was walking at a faster pace than the others. Obviously he was ecstatic at finally creating a device that didn't blow up. Ash and the others decided to humor him, saying they had never seen something so original. Luckily Clemont fell for it and thanked them.

"OK guys, the facility is going to be on our left when we get there. Keep your eyes open for Team Flare grunts though. This _is_ one of their facilities after all."

Bonnie clutched her brother's arm tightly. "Clemont, don't you think that this place is kinda strange? I mean, where are all the Pokémon? And why is the facility in such bad shape?"

"I don't know Bonnie, but stay alert."

The four trainers entered the facility with caution. Clemont released Luxray, who led the way with his enhanced eyesight. It revealed to the others that there was a large corridor in front of them that branched off into several rooms, similar to the other facility that Alain and Ash had broke out of to save Chespin two months ago. Ash led the way, with a frightened Serena following close behind. Clemont and Bonnie brought up the back of the group, each making sure to look down the hallways that led to the other rooms.

After about a few turns, Luxray came to a stop in front of a large door, presumably leading to the stadium where Ash was to battle Malva. The door opened when Ash stepped close to it, but as soon as he walked in, the door shut, locking Serena, Clemont and Bonnie out. "Ash! Ash! are you OK?" Serena frantically called. Bonnie nervously looked up at her brother. "I knew something was wrong. Look! Down the hall!"

"That's a Hypno! Don't look into its eyes!" Clemont shouted, but Bonnie had already fallen into a trance. She slumped down on the floor, asleep. Clemont looked up in horror as Serena experienced the same fate, her limp body falling down next to Bonnie. The blonde inventor put on a pair of reflective goggles and called out Chespin. The little Pokémon however, was no match for the Hypno, who lifted it up into the air with Psychic and put it under its control. Chespin too fell asleep, leaving Clemont without any Pokémon. Bunnelby was still getting his check up back at the center. The gym leader's eyes grew heavy, and soon, he too fell into the trance. As he drifted off to sleep, he could see the faint outline of a Team Flare member come out of his hiding with 3 pairs of binders. Then, he blacked out.

Ash entered the chamber where his battle was to take place. It was similar to the other Elite Four Member stadiums, but at the same time, different. The whole place looked like it was scorched, and a ring of fire surrounded him right after he stepped in, blocking any means of escape for the trainer. A woman at the end of the chamber appeared before him. She had pink hair, and she wore red tinted glasses. Her shirt was black, as were her pants, but they were patterned with streaks of red. Her clothes smelled like that of smoke, and she bore an intimidating appearance overall. Ash gulped.

"Welcome to Geosenge! I am Malva of the Elite Four, and I challenge you to a battle!"

Ash reluctantly agreed. If he could somehow beat her, he could escape and find his friends. Right now though, he had to focus on winning the match. Clutching the first Pokeball on his belt, he released Krookodile. Pikachu leaped off his shoulder and prepared itself, as it would go next should Krookodile faint. "This is it buddy. We're not going to lose this!"

"Funny," Malva sneered. "Talonflame! Do your best."

Malva's Talonflame appeared and let out a screech. It was different than Ash's, that was for sure. It had a massive scar down its back, and its wings were grizzled and missing several feathers. It gazed at its opponent with an icy glare mimicking its trainer. "I'm going first. Talonflame, Brave Bird!"

"There's no referee!"

"I am the referee. Brave Bird now."

Ash grit his teeth. "Krookodile, Smack Down, quick!"

Both attacks collided with each other, causing a massive explosion. Ash squinted to see if Krookodile was all right, while Malva kept her stoic face, unfazed by what had just happened. The smoke cleared shortly. Krookodile was panting heavily, while Talonflame was apparently unhurt.

"What?!"


	42. Ruthless

Ash was still in shock from the sight before him. His Krookodile, who had a move type advantage, was now on its knees from a Flying type move from a scarred Talonflame. Malva glared at Talonflame. "You couldn't defeat him in one hit?! You pathetic little Pokémon!" she angrily shouted. Talonflame hung its head low and uttered a low growl. "If you want a chance to redeem yourself, take it down with this next move! Flare Blitz!"

"You get ready to use Smack Down again!" Ash called out as Krookodile stood up, ready to battle again. Krookodile leaped into the air just as Talonflame was about to ram into it, forcing it to fly up and turn around to try again. Krookodile then leaped into the air to meet it, and its hardened claws collided with its chest, slamming it into the ground. Malva growled. Talonflame was obviously exhausted, having taken two super effective attacks, but it continued to stand weakly. Ash had pity for the old bird, but he was torn between forfeiting and winning the match. Malva took advantage of his hesitance and commanded Talonflame to use one final Brave Bird. Talonflame flew high into the air and dived down, its body engulfed in a white hot light. Krookodile prepared to brace itself by bringing its claws up to protect its face. Talonflame landed a solid hit on Krookodile, but it countered quickly by using Crunch to hold it in place and slam it once again into the ground. Exhausted, Talonflame drooped its head and sank into the ground, swirly eyes present. Malva slammed her fist on the ground. "NO! Return Talonflame, and when we win, I'm gonna teach you a lesson about obedience! Chandelure! Your turn!"

A strange Pokémon the resembled a chandelier with a burning purple flame. It had two yellow eyes, and it howled ominously. "Krookodile, you need a break?"

Krookodile nodded. "Right, then use Crunch!"

"Will-O-Wisp!"

Ash then tried to cancel the attack, worried that being in such close proximity with Chandelure would make Krookodile an easier target for it. "Krookodile, cancel the attack!"

Malva then continued her assault. "Pursue it."

Krookodile retreated to his half of the stadium to catch a breath. However, as it turned around, it was inflicted by a dangerous burn from Chandelure, who had used Shadow Sneak as a sort of cover to blend into the shadows. Krookodile roared in pain, but immediately retaliated with a Crunch. Chandleure tumbled backwards, but righted itself and awaited its next orders. "Flamethrower!"

"Krookodile, duck and then use Earthquake!"

Quickly Krookodile ducked under an oncoming blast of fire and countered with an Earthquake. Chandelure hovered above the ground, saving it from taking too much damage. However, it was constantly pelted with debris, causing it to lose focus and allowing Krookodile another Crunch. Malva ordered another Flamethrower, and Ash countered with Smack Down, causing both Pokémon to faint. Ash recalled his Krookodile and released his Gliscor. Malva let out a fit at her Chandelure before she pulled out her Torkoal, and the two continued to battle. After a while, Gliscor was knocked out, but not without taking Torkoal with it. Ash brought out his Pikachu, who leaped onto the battlefield. Malva called out her final Pokémon, a Houndoom.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!"

"Houndoom, use Flamethrower."

Houndoom blasted a powerful shot of flames at Pikachu, who gracefully leapt out of the way. Maybe it had learned something from Eevee and Serena. It dashed past the flames as Houndoom adjusted its aim. Pikachu then bolted underneath the flame and tackled Houndoom, knocking it back a bit. "Dark Pulse! Don't let up!" Houndoom shot the dark energy right into Pikachu's face, sending it flying. Pikachu regained its balance and prepared to strike with Thunderbolt. It released the stored up energy and fired, hitting its target with perfect accuracy. Houndoom growled in pain, before it charged the little mouse and used Fire Fang. Pikachu nimbly dodged and Iron Tail'd its face. Houndoom retaliated with a Flamethrower, and both were sent backwards. Then Malva decided it was time. She lifted her key stone and tapped it. A wave of purple energy struck Houndoom, who let out a cry of pain. It was resisting, but gradually, a mega evolution symbol appeared and it Mega Evolved. Mega Houndoom roared with renewed stamina. Pikachu took a step back in fear. Houndoom looked like it was possessed by the key stone. Ash frowned. This wasn't right. Was she forcefully making Houndoom mega evolve?

Pikachu was suddenly struck in the chest by a Flamethrower. It was only barely able to recover before Houndoom repeatedly bit it with Fire Fang. Pikachu was unable to stop the relentless attack, and with one swing, Houndoom launched the battered up Pikachu into the air. Then it blasted it with another Flamethrower, fainting the poor mouse. Houndoom was not finished, however, and it rushed at the fainted Pikachu and bit it again. Ash dashed out into the stadium. "Stop! This isn't right! Get away from him!"

Malva gave a heartless look at the fallen Pikachu, before she ordered the next move. "Now use it on the boy."

Houndoom shifted its attention to Ash. The raven haired trainer had picked up Pikachu, and was bringing him to the edge of the stadium when he heard the rapid sprinting of Houndoom. The Mega evolved Pokémon lunged at Ash and sunk his teeth into his leg. Ash screamed in pain. He quickly made it to the other end of the stadium and hurled out his last Pokeball, revealing his Greninja. The Ninja Frog looked at Ash, then at Pikachu, then at Houndoom and Malva. Its eyes filled with anger. It dashed at lightning speed toward Houndoom and quickly slashed at it with its purple blade. Houndoom reeled back from the sudden attack, but prepared to counter with Flamethrower. Greninja leaped into the air and fired off multiple Water Shuriken to block, resulting in yet another explosion.

Ash had treated his wounds with a couple of spare supplies Clemont had handed him from when they were in the forest examining the ancient XYZ tablets, and was now able to stand. He looked to Greninja, who turned right back to look at him. They each nodded. The transformation began.


	43. It's a Trap!

Greninja glared at Houndoom, its eyes glowing red from the transformation. Houndoom shot a cold look back at it. The two Pokémon stood motionless for a few minutes, before they charged. Ash was too tired to give out any orders, so he let Greninja fight on his own. Houndoom wasted no time in closing the gap, attacking Greninja with Fire Fang. The Ninja Frog sidestepped and swung its leg around, tripping Houndoom. Greninja then leaped into the air and followed up with two Water Shurikens. Houndoom quickly recovered and countered with a Flamethrower. The attacks collided, resulting in yet another explosion. Greninja used the smoke to follow up with his signature counterattack. As Houndoom looked around, a flash of blue appeared in front of it and axe kicked its head. Greninja followed up with an uppercut, finishing its Aerial Ace move. Ash was smart to swap Greninja's Ice Punch temporarily with Aerial Ace for this matchup, giving the nimble water type an advantage. Malva grew annoyed at the continuous failure of her Pokémon, and she began to get reckless. "Flamethrower over and over again! Burn that frog into a crisp!" Houndoom roared and released several bursts of fire. Greninja gracefully dodged and ducked under the flames, before once again hurling a Water Shuriken at it. Houndoom took the brunt of the hit and skidded backwards. Greninja then drew out its blade and parried an incoming Fire Fang. Using all the strength left in it, Greninja lifted its blade and attacked Houndoom with a flurry of stabs, slashes, and overhand strikes. Left, right, up and down the agile Pokémon slashed, weakening Houndoom. The attacks did little to damage it, but it did begin to wear away at its stamina. Greninja noticed it was slowing down, and rushed at it again, refusing to let it rest and gain the upper hand. Greninja took the Water Shuriken off of its back and began to use it like a spiked shield, blocking Houndoom's vain attempts at attacking it. Greninja allowed Houndoom to bite down on the Shuriken, before it threw it into the air and smashed it into the ground with an Aerial Ace. The impact caused the entire stadium to shake. Houndoom was sprawled on the ground, but still able to fight. It roared and was filled with renewed determination as it charged Greninja. Malva showed no concern however, instead opting to bring out her holocaster to inform Xerosic of Ash's whereabouts. The raven haired trainer was too focused on the battle in front of him to notice. He watched Greninja with pride as it dodged several blows from Houndoom. Greninja then brought out its blade and struck it upwards. It then took off the Shuriken on its back and twirled the massive projectile in the air for a few moments, before it whipped the giant Shuriken into Houndoom, who was only just barely recovering from its previous attack. Another explosion. This time, Houndoom was crippled and unable to battle much longer. Instead of recalling her Pokémon and allowing it time to recover, Malva ordered it to stand and fight. Houndoom looked at its trainer with a look of betrayal on its face. Ash could see the emotion in its eyes. Greninja landed and ran toward it, its purple blade in hand. It neared the injured Pokémon and lifted its blade into the air, preparing to bring it down on it, but it too noticed the emotion in its eyes. Greninja lowered the blade and sheathed it, unable to deal the finishing blow. Ash stood up. Malva growled. "Finish it!"

Houndoom looked at Greninja, then at Malva. It looked conflicted. Ash took notice of this, and telepathically advised Greninja to be ready for an attack. Houndoom set its eyes on Greninja and strained itself to stand. With one final attempt, Houndoom gathered every last bit of strength to fight back, only for it to be blocked effortlessly by Greninja. Exhausted, Houndoom dropped to the floor, fainted. Malva looked at her fallen Pokémon and recalled it as it was reverting to its original form. Greninja did so as well as Ash recalled it. "Hmph. Pathetic," she sneered as Ash neared her. Ash glared. Suddenly he lashed out at the Elite Four member. "You monster! How could you do that to Houndoom! It gave everything for you to win! Even when you knew it couldn't last another hit, you didn't even bother recalling it!"

"All of my other Pokémon fainted. I had no choice!" Malva angrily retorted.

"Houndoom was pretty much fainted after that last attack! You knew it wouldn't be able to survive that! Why are you even a member of the Elite Four?!"

Malva grinned evilly. "I guess since you've beaten me, I can let you know. Are you aware of Team Flare?"

Ash nodded mutely as realization suddenly struck him. Malva continued. "Well I was once a respectable trainer, but eventually I grew tired of battling. I longed for something more. After discovering the true intentions of Lysandre, I realized that I could make my dream of becoming stronger a reality. Lysandre helped. He offered me the position since he had the power to do so, and in turn, I would work for Team Flare. And now that he's dead because of some brat like you, I sought revenge on you for the longest time! I stayed with Team Flare even after its destruction, believing that someday we would once again take over. That incident a few weeks ago was just a little demonstration of our true power! We've developed an extremely powerful replica of the ancient Ultimate Weapon that was used to end the great Kalos War thousands of years ago. With such power at our side, it won't be long before I can crush you and your little friends! You've been lured into a trap, my dear Ash, and your friends are trapped! You four are to be the first test subjects of our weapon!"

Ash's eyes widened. "No..."

His thoughts drifted to Serena. What would happen to her? To Bonnie? To Clemont?

Malva snapped her finger, and several Team Flare Admins surrounded the raven haired trainer. Ash called out Greninja and prepared to fight as the Admins released their Pokémon and closed in on the trainer.

* * *

 **Hey guys, quick update. I'm sorry if this is bad news for you, but my story will be on hold during the holiday break. We're going to be on the road a lot, so unfortunately I won't be able to upload. I apologize in advance. Anyways, I'll try to make up for that with daily uploads, so I'll see you guys tomorrow! Thanks for your continued support!**


	44. Alliance

Ash sweated as the grunts slowly approached him from all angles. Greninja stood ready, his purple blade in hand. Malva gave the order to attack, and the grunts charged, their hands at their guns, which were set to "stun". The Pokémon released also attacked the duo, unleashing various energy based attacks. Ash stood behind Greninja and watched as one by one, Greninja cut down the grunts with relative ease. The grunts fired at Greninja, who deflected the stun shots with its blade right back to them. Surprised, the grunts were shot down by their own stun charges. The Pokémon, consisting of Crobat, Houndoom, and Manectric released several blasts of Thunderbolt, Sludge Bomb and Dark Pulse at the Ninja Frog Pokémon. Greninja swiftly sidestepped and parried with his blade, before drawing out another. It rushed at them at sliced through them easily, leaving their fainted bodies strewn all over the stadium. Ash gave Malva a cold stare. "I wouldn't underestimate my Pokémon if I were you."

Malva grit her teeth. Greninja edged closer and closer to the former Elite Four member. Malva slowly backed away, not risking to fight the Pokémon that easily downed six of her grunts and their Pokémon. Ash stopped Greninja just as it pointed the blade at the fiery haired woman. Malva quickly fled the scene, accidentally dropping her holocaster and a charred medallion. Curious, Ash picked it up. The holocaster was on, and the raven haired trainer noticed that it showed the whereabouts of Serena and the others. Greninja found it strange. Why would Malva drop such a piece of valuable information for them? Even stranger, the medallion that was lying on the floor and partially burned was apparently for Ash. Ash, meanwhile, took the chance. He ran out of the stadium and into the other half of the facility with Greninja to find his friends immediately.

* * *

The prison door opened, revealing two Team Flare grunts, dressed in their usual bright red orange suits. They entered Serena, Clemont and Bonnie's cell and closed the door. Clemont's senses were on high alert, worried that Team Flare would take his sister because of the bond she shared with Squishy. He stood there, motionless and fearful. Serena backed away slowly, and Bonnie hid behind her brother. The two grunts then lifted their glasses, revealing the faces of two familiar faces. "Team Rocket?!" Bonnie shouted, but was quickly shushed by James.  
"Little twerp, you should know better. We're here to bust you out, but we would appreciate it if you would keep your voice down. Wouldn't want Xerosic to find out."

Bonnie silently nodded. Jessie then explained to the others the plan. "If we can knock out a few grunts and dress you guys up as them, we'll be able to get out. The only problem we may have is that Bonnie might be a little small. If that's the case, we'll need to get Meowth."

The others mutely nodded, and the cell door opened. The group made it out the door and into a long corridor. However, when several grunts happened to walk down the same pathway, they saw the others and broke into a run. James turned to Jessie. "Take them out to the exit!"

"Hey you, stop right there!"

"Bewear, go get 'em!"

Jessie released Bewear, who stared down at the grunt with a blank look. The grunt cowered and turned to run, but Bewear snatched it up in its arms and ran off with him, picking a few others on the way.

* * *

Ash had arrived at the location of Xerosic's underground facility. He scanned the room, looking for a clue to where his friends were. He noticed a large room that was in the centre of the building. Faint noises could be heard from inside, and there was no one around. "Maybe they're in here," Ash said to Greninja. He peeked inside the room cautiously. The room didn't have any clue about the location of his friends, it did house a mysterious flower shaped object in the centre. Large drills were positioned upwards, as if they were meant to drill through the ground above it. Ash then heard a faint scream, who he immediatelt recognized as Serena. Frantic at the prospect of her in danger, Ash and Greninja broke into a run in the direction of her voice.

* * *

"Sorry miss, but I'm afraid you'll be coming with us. We have some questioning to do," a grunt said as he stepped out of the shadows and grabbed Bonnie.

"No! You let her go right now!" Serena screeched in anger as the grunt struggled to maintain his grip on the little girl. Clemont reached for a Pokeball on his belt and released Chespin, but as soon as it was released, the grunt fired his gun and forced Chespin back into its Pokeball. Clemont looked in shock. The grunt maintained his grip on Bonnie and dragged her off down the hallway. As he disappeared down the hall, Clemont and Serena heard a shrill cry of horror as the grunt came face to face with Mimikyu. It stared at the grunt, its head lolling to the side. Suddenly it leaped into the air and freed Bonnie from his grasp with a well placed Shadow Claw. Jessie appeared and grabbed the girl by the hand and led her to another exit. Clemont and Serena were waiting for them.

The automatic door lifted as Ash entered another room. This one was filled with ancient texts and complex blueprints that were scattered all over the room. At the back of the room was a large screen that showed Geosenge Town from different angles. On the left was a large blue button, and on the right lay a red button. Ash scanned through the camera feed, hoping something would show up and tell him that his friends were OK. He eventually caught sight of an explosion in the southwest exit that showed Team Rocket, Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie escaping the research facility. "That's great Greninja! They made it. Now it's our turn to get out of here!"

Just then, a familiar person entered the room. "My, my, what have we here?"


	45. Breaking His Limit

Ash turned to face Xerosic. "You! You're the one who Clemont fought!"

The Team Flare scientist kept a cold stare on the raven haired trainer and stiffly bowed. "No need to be so hostile...I only would like to give you the choice after all. Perhaps proper introductions would be more proper. I am Xerosic, chief scientist of Team Flare and the leader of Neo Team Flare."

Ash eyed him warily. "What do you want from me?"

"I would humbly request a battle with you. To determine the fate of Kalos. You must defeat me in battle before you can see your friends. As you can see, at the end of this control room, there are two buttons, one red, the other blue. One causes the Ultimate Weapon to self-destruct, and the other makes it fire. Should you defeat me, you may destroy the Weapon, but if I win, I will destroy Geosenge Town. What do you propose? Will you accept?" he said slyly.

Ash knew not to trust the scientist. Still, it was the only way. If he tried to escape, he knew Xerosic would hit the button that would cause the Weapon to fire, but if he fought, Xerosic would probably give him the wrong answer. And why would someone as smart as the Team Flare Scientist design a self-destruct mechanism in a weapon he had spent so much time constructing? Reluctantly, he agreed. If he could defeat him, he would be able to destroy the control system with Greninja. He just needed a distraction, and his mind frantically thought of a way out before Greninja was too tired to fight. His eyes lit up upon hearing the cry of his familiar companion. "Pika Pikachu!" it cried as it emerged from Ash's bag, where it had been resting. Xerosic hadn't noticed yet, and Ash quietly shushed Pikachu and silently spoke to him. Pikachu understood what its trainer wanted of it, and dove back into the bag.

"Well? Have you made up your mind, boy?"

"I accept."

"Very well. Crobat! You're up first!" he said as he tossed his Pokeball into the air. Crobat appeared in a flash of light and let out a fearsome shriek. Ash turned to Greninja and nodded. It stared right back at him, a look of determination etched across its face. It extended its fist, waiting for Ash to complete the gesture. The raven haired trainer smiled as they fist pumped, before Greninja turned to face his opponent, its heart beating rapidly. Xerosic was the first to move. "Crobat! Air Slash followed by Sludge Bomb."

"You know what to do Greninja," Ash called out to his friend, trusting that it would be able to handle itself. Greninja stood ready. A wave of air appeared from Crobat's wings and rushed toward Greninja in a powerful energy beam. Greninja sidestepped and drew its blade. Crobat then fired a filthy sphere of sludge right after it had completed its first attack. Greninja deflected it with his Night Slash into a nearby computer, fritzing it out. Xerosic stood his ground, ordering another move. "Let's try a Leech Life."

Crobat's fangs glowed white as it shot up into the air and gained altitude. It then dove down toward its opponent, aiming for its leg. Greninja jumped into the air to meet it, and it quickly blocked the attack with one hand. Crobat, however, shattered the purple blade and opened its mouth. Greninja quickly charged up an Ice Punch and just as Crobat's fangs would have hit it, it brought its hardened fist into its face, sending it flying back. Ash could sense that Greninja was tiring out very quickly. It had managed to survive Malva's Mega Houndoom, taken down the grunts Pokémon, and put up a fight against Xerosic's Crobat, but it could only handle so much. Taking the hint, Ash raised his fist into the air. "Greninja! Let's power up!"

The battlefield was engulfed in a raging torrent of water as the facility collapsed, revealing Ash-Greninja. Its heightened Speed and Attack were enough to overpower Crobat. Unable to keep up with the barrage of attacks, Crobat was struck in the wing by an Ice Punch and then fainted by multiple mini-shurikens. Momentarily shocked, Xerosic recalled his Pokémon and released his Weavile, who immediately engaged in blade lock with Greninja without warning. Greninja barely parried Weavile's Night Slash with its own, and the two squared off in a heated battle. Greninja leaped and dodged effortlessly, intending to wear out Weavile. Weavile kept up the pressure, delivering several punishing blows to the tired Greninja. Knowing it had to end this fast, Greninja warped out of sight, using a technique it had learned from Sanpei and his Greninja. Weavile looked around, confused, when suddenly it reappeared behind it and it one swift upwards stroke, sent it into the air. Greninja warped up into the air to meet it, and sent it down by smashing its back Water Suriken into its chest. Xerosic was now in panic mode. He had one Pokémon left, and it was his Malamar. He released his last Pokémon and immediately ordered an attack. "Psycho-Cut!"

Malamar's tentacle glowed bright blue as it shot a wave of Psychic energy at Greninja, who barely dodged the attack, getting skimmed in the process. Wincing in pain, Greninja warped once again into the air, but Malamar used its psychic abilities to track Greninja and ensnared it when it reappeared. "Use Psycho-Cut repeatedly!"

Malamar shot several more powerful energy beams at Greninja, before hurling it into the air and slamming it into the ground. Greninja struggled to stand upright, but it quickly dashed at Malamar and dealt a flurry of stabs and strikes with his blade, before leaping into the air once again and using its last bit of strength to hurl a massive Water Shuriken at Malamar. The sinister Pokémon drooped its head and slumped, but it hadn't fainted yet. It lifted its tentacle, causing Greninja to be hurled into the air. As its tentacle faltered and it fainted, Greninja was slammed into the ground. A huge explosion blocked everyone's view, but as it cleared, it revealed Greninja, in its original form, clinging to its blade, which was forcefully embedded in the ground. Ash smiled weakly. Greninja had hung on for him. He then turned to the hidden Pikachu. "Iron Tail!"

Xerosic looked in shock as the little electric mouse appeared out of nowhere and brought its tail down on the machine in front of it, dismantling the weapon from being used. The scientist adjusted his glasses and smirked. "It's too bad you destroyed our main power source, but the Ultimate Weapon does have an external power source as well, though hardly as powerful. It only permits one shot, but it's better than nothing." He then turned on his holocaster. "Matt, you may fire at will."


	46. Chaos

Matt turned off his holocaster in a hurry and looked to his operating crew. "That's our cue. Open fire."

"Sir, the power levels aren't stable yet. We only have enough power to safely fire one shot!" a grunt said.

"Then we'll make it count. Set target to Geosenge Town."

"Yes sir."

Pulling various levers and flipping different switches, Neo Team Flare began the firing process. A crystalline energy beam began to collect rapidly at the base. The flower's petals slowly opened, revealing the deadly Ultimate Weapon. The weapon was in full "bloom" as its petals fully unfurled, giving the appearance of a lily. Ash stood frozen at what he saw on the security screen. Serena, Clemont and Bonnie were trapped inside one of the quaint log cabins that lined the cavity where the Weapon was constructed. The Ultimate Weapon slowly elevated until it was above the ground. The energy levels were quickly rising, and Ash could only watch as the enormous organic weapon set its sights on Geosenge Town. A faint noise that resembled a Gyarados preparing its Hyper Beam resonated from beneath the raven haired trainer. The ground began to quake, and the facility started to crumble. Ash look at his Greninja, who had managed to prop himself on his sword. Ash recalled it and spoke a few words of encouragement, before he turned to Pikachu. "Ready to get outta here?"

"Pika!"

Xerosic had already fled the scene using a special warping system at the end of the room, leaving Ash and Pikachu alone in the dark. The duo quickly exited, running down the corridor as the ground continued to shake. The end was in sight. Ash's trainer pants were full of sweat, and his shirt stuck to his chest. His auburn eyes were filled with a mix of worry and determination to survive. As they neared the door, the ground split beneath them. Ash looked to Pikachu, who was frantically moving his feet around to balance himself. "On three buddy. We're gonna jump. Three, two...ONE!"

"Pikachuuuu!"

The two jumped, their strained legs using every last bit of strength left to make the jump. Ash landed with a thud on solid ground. Pikachu quickly righted himself and landed perfectly. It was used to making emergency jumps. Behind them, the research facility completely collapsed, flinging debris everywhere. It took a while for Ash to pick himself up, but he was quick to get going. "We need to find Serena! Can you see if Dedenne nearby? I know that Bonnie was with her, and we need to get them all to safety before the Ultimate Weapon fires."

Pikachu closed its eyes and its cheeks began to faintly crackle. The little mouse tilted its head to the left, and then to the right. Its cheeks crackled brightly as it turned around. Its eyes opened. "Pi-Pikachu!" it said as it pointed with its chubby paw the location of the cabin where the others were. The door was sealed shut, and a vibrant red "F" was centered in the middle. Pikachu let out its battle cry, before it leaped into the air and sliced the door open. However, Neo Team Flare had barred the door with mega evolution energy. Ash could see Serena, Clemont and Bonnie in binders, and what appeared to be...Jessie? Though confused, Ash had Pikachu overload the controls with Thunderbolt as the mega evolution faded. Ash entered in quickly and freed Serena. Pikachu used Iron Tail to free the Lumiose twins, but came to a halt when it approached Jessie.

"Come on, Pikachu! Let me go already! I promise I won't bother you or the twerps again!" she cried in desperation.

Pikachu tilted its head to the side and eyed the Team Rocket member suspiciously. After giving it some thought, Pikachu decided to use Thunderbolt to break her binders instead of Iron Tail, electrocuting her in the process.

"GAHHH! What was that for?!"

Ash carefully undid Serena's binders, freeing her from her confinement. The performer leaped into his arms and held him tightly. Ash returned the embrace with equal vigor. "I'm glad you're OK," he whispered.

"Me too."

They continued to hold each other until Bonnie broke them out of their trance. "Clemont?" she shakily asked as she pointed to the weapon that was preparing to fire. The blonde inventor turned and for a moment, thought he was reliving the past. He wiped his glasses. "How can this be? What's going on?!" as he placed them back on. The weapon was indeed real, and it was about to fire. The noise suddenly died down as the weapon aimed into the sky. The ground continued to shake violently. Then, all of a sudden, a beam of crystalline energy was blasted out of the weapon and into the air. Ash kept his arms around Serena, who buried her head in his chest. Clemont held his breath. Bonnie closed her eyes. Jessie looked away. From the distance, James, Meowth, Wobbuffet and AZ all stood silent.

The beam of energy shot into the air, right through the atmosphere as it continued on its trajectory. As it reached the right altitude, the beam exploded into six smaller crystalline explosions, covering Geosenge with debris. The debris destroyed every living thing out in the open, freezing humans and Pokémon alike in stone. The whole town was ghostly quiet. The ground stopped shaking, and the Weapon was destroyed by its own blast, as the energy levels for the other systems were either not at maximum or disabled to provide extra energy to the blast. Ash looked at the scene in front of him and looked away. Meanwhile from his viewing area a little distance off, Xerosic smirked. It had been done. Neo Team Flare had succeeded in fulfilling Lysandre's vision. They were now going to collect the petrified bodies and turn them into energy for the Weapon to fire again.

Meanwhile in the distance, a certain trainer opened the window of her helicopter and stared down at the terrifying spectacle of power that had just occurred. Readying herself, she and her Gardevoir jumped off their helicopter to the ground below.


	47. A Light in the Darkness

Diantha and her Gardevoir landed on Geosenge soil and proceeded to locate Xerosic's lab. Trainer and Pokémon leapt from rooftop to rooftop until they arrived at the crater that was created by the Ultimate Weapon. Silently, the duo disappeared into the massive cavity. Diantha turned on her flashlight and scanned the area for potential threats. Gardevoir stood ready to attack should a hidden assailant appear behind them. After concluding that the area was secure, the Kalos region Champion disappeared down the hallway that led to the control room.

* * *

Ash slowly opened his eyes. He was still alive, and so was Serena. Clemont and Bonnie stood next to them, with the younger of the two had her head buried in her brother's chest. Ash had his arms wrapped tightly around Serena, making sure she was safe. Slowly the others came to their senses and glanced outside. The sight was horrific. Geosenge Town was coated with a layer of stone. It seemed that everything the explosion caused by the Weapon was petrified upon contact. Pokémon lay motionless, frozen in time. Civilians were also affected, as evidenced by their petrified bodies. A cold eerie wind howled into Ash's ears as the trainer opened the door. Bonnie shakily pointed to two noticeable figures that were hit by the blast. In front of them stood Jessie and James, encased in solid stone. The raven haired trainer grit his teeth and looked away. Team Rocket was annoying, but deep inside, they were allies. After all, they had helped him several times during his journeys. Clemont, meanwhile, set his sights on the Team Flare laboratory. His eyes brimmed with anger. Xerosic had once again successfully executed his evil plans and created an invention that would destroy innocent lives, and he was unable to stop them. The blonde inventor fought back a couple of tears, refusing to give up. Ash walked over to the younger trainer and put a hand on his shoulder. "We're not giving in," he said, "not yet." Serena stood next to Ash and grasped her boyfriend's hand. "We'll never let them win, won't we?" Bonnie ran back to Clemont and slipped her hand into his. "Never." Together the four companions walked hand in hand to the control room to put a stop ,once and for all, to the intentions of Team Flare.

* * *

"Diantha. I was expecting you. You will not stop us this time!"

"Malva. I refused to believe that you were an agent in carrying out Team Flare's plans at first, but now, it is all clear. You were the one who granted Team Flare access to Prism Tower! Only gym leaders or Elite Four members are permitted access to the interior of the Tower. On top of that, you attacked Ash Ketchum, the Kalos League Champion when he won! Disgrace. That you are," Diantha hissed.

"What do you know about the match?!"

"Professor Sycamore had a device installed on one of your admins. It allows us to hear everything going on in the room. We heard you loud and clear, and that is when I decided to come here and take care of you."

"Not today, _Champion,"_ Malva sneered. "Pyroar! Flamethrower!"

Silently, Diantha commanded her Gardevoir to use Psychic on the flames. Gardevoir released a burst of Psychic energy that engulfed Pyroar's Flamethrower and harmlessly redirected it into the computers that controlled the Ultimate Weapon. An explosion could be heard from above, followed by the creaking of the Weapon as it slowly sank into the ground. " _Gardevoir, redirect Pyroar's attacks to the other systems controlling the Weapon. If Malva tries to escape, restrain her with Psychic."_

 _"Gardevoirr."_

* * *

The traveling quartet arrived at the crater that was housing the Ultimate Weapon, when suddenly an explosion occurred, flinging rubble and other debris everywhere. Luxray released itself from its Pokeball and looked around. The Weapon was crumbling! As the smoke cleared, Ash, Serena, Clemont and Bonnie noticed the destroyed Weapon in front of them, as well as the faint noises of a battle below. The four looked down and saw Diantha. She was battling Malva, and her Gardevoir had nearly defeated every one of her opponents Pokémon. Malva then decided it was time to turn the tail and run, but she was caught in Gardevoir's Psychic. "I'll tell you nothing!" she yelled through her confinement. Calmly, Diantha snapped her fingers, and Gardevoir hurled the Elite Four Member up into the air. Malva landed on the hard stone soil of Geosenge, before being handcuffed by an awaiting Officer Jenny. Ash and the others then leaped down to meet her. "Diantha!" they cried out.

"Ash! Serena! Clemont and Bonnie! It's good to see you again, although I wish we could've met under more peaceful circumstances."

"How'd you get here? How'd you know we'd be here?"

"Well, Olympia had a vision of this happening. She contacted me and another person, Calem, to help prevent this from happening. When I overheard your battle with Malva because of Professor Sycamore's special device, I knew that this was the time to take action. Calem, the former champion, has left to summon the legendary Pokémon Xerneas to restore Geosenge Town once this is all over." She then turned to Ash. "Ash, your Greninja is here, am I correct?"

"You bet! I'd never leave home without him!" Ash said eagerly before he grabbed Greninja's Pokeball. "We mastered our Synchro-Evolution ever since we last faced off, and once this is over and we beat Drasna, we're going for you!"

"Eager as always. Serena, you and Ash are now a couple, I assume? I can only imagine how much work he'll be in the future," she winked. Diantha was one of the few people that were informed of Serena's love for Ash before they became a couple, the only others being Shauna, Miette and Bonnie. The honey haired girl blushed scarlet. "Y-yes! He already is, but I'm more than willing to help him." Ash smiled and wrapped one arm around her waist. "Hey, how do you know Diantha?"

"That's a question for later, Ash. Right now we need to locate Xerosic. Can you release Greninja? According to Professor Sycamore, Synchro-Evolution allowed the Pokémon to perceive a much sharper image of the area, thanks to the additional energy the trainer provides during evolution. If Greninja can sense Xerosic, this battle will quickly be over."

"Right!"

* * *

 **Hello everyone! Hope you had a great Christmas! Happy New Year as well! I'm happy to tell you that I'll be uploading once again daily (If possible). 2017 has hyped like crazy! The Chinese leaks, the Nintendo Switch, Star Wars Episode VII, and lots more to look forward to. I'd like to leave you guys with this question. Would you like to see a continuation of this story featuring Ash and Serena in Alola, or rather a small collection of oneshots focusing on their relationship that will be uploaded weekly? PM me your choice. Until next time guys! Never give up until the end! Serena will return!**


	48. Mega-Xerosic!

Ash pulled out Greninja's Pokeball from his belt and threw it into the air, releasing his strongest Kalos caught Pokémon. "Grenin!"

"Greninja, can you sense Xerosic anywhere?"

The Ninja Frog Pokémon closed its eyes and scanned the area. Its heightened senses allowed it to detect even the faintest trace of a person's aura. Greninja turned its head to the left, and then to the right. It suddenly stopped when it picked up a faint aura down the hallway. The negative energy surrounding the figure was unmistakably. It was Xerosic. Greninja's eyes shot open and it took off down the hallway. Ash followed suite, his hand restraining Serena from going ahead. He was intent on keeping her safe, and the unusually high amount of negative energy surrounding the figure was starting to disturb him greatly. Cautiously, the group followed after the young couple, with Gardevoir bringing up the rear and using her psychic abilities to track the wandering Kalos starter. The group reached the end of the tunnel and were met with a blinding light. A shadowy figure stepped out of the light. He resembled the former Team Flare scientist, except he was much taller and muscular. At his side stood six Pokémon: a Sharpedo, an Alakazam, a Gengar, a Beedrill, a Banette, his Crobat and his Malamar. Xerosic roared and bellowed out incoherent words and phrases. The group took a step back. Diantha's eyes suddenly opened in realization. Xerosic had injected himself with Mega Evolution and supercharged it, thus the massive amount of energy. Ash was the first to speak. "What do you want and why are you doing this?!" he yelled.

Xerosic roared in laughter. "I AMM OOONLY FULFILLLLINGGG LYSANDRE'S PLAN. AFTER THE WEAPON FINISHED OFF MOST OF THE WORLD, THE REMAINING ENERGY WOULD GRANT SPECIFIC PERSONNNSSSS GREAT POWER! I AM ONE OF THE CHOSEN. MY TASK IS TO ELIMINATE THE SURVIVORSSS!"

"Surrender Xerosic. You are surrounded. If you do not, we will have to use force," Diantha responded, remaining calm.

"BWAHAHAHA! THE POKEMON I HAVE HERE WILL CRUSH YOU! I CAN GUARANTEE IT!"

Greninja suddenly leapt into the air and hurled a few quick water shurikens at the deranged man. Xerosic took the brunt of the hit, but remained unfazed. He raised his arm into the air and revealed a strange staff hidden in his sleeve. He tapped on the Mega Evolution stone embedded in it, and the room was covered in a ghostly light. The purple energy surrounded all of his Pokémon. They roared in pain and writhed around, struggling to give in, apparently resisting the transformation. Ash watched in horror as 4 Mega Evolved Pokémon appeared in front of Xerosic. The other two that didn't evolve were engulfed in an orange light. Clemont identified that this special "aura" was actually quite similar to Alolan Totem Pokémon, and advised the group to stay on their toes. Ash stood in front of Serena, along with Clemont, who was protecting a fearful Bonnie. Diantha closed the circle, with her Gardevoir already preparing to Mega Evolve. The Kalos Champion's last encounter with the Mega Wave almost ended with her death, so naturally, the two were extremely wary.

Ash pumped a fist and turned to Greninja. Greninja looked back and nodded. Trainer and Pokémon raised their arms simultaneously and began the transformation. The familiar torrent of swirling water engulfed Greninja's body and exploded, revealing Ash-Greninja. Meanwhile, Diantha flipped her necklace and clicked on the keystone. Several white tendrils leaped from it and towards Gardevoir's mega stone. Gardevoir was eneveloped in a blinding bright sphere, which momentarily shattered, revealing the Mega Evolved Gardevoir. Clemont, Serena and even Bonnie then released their Pokémon and prepared to attack.

Xerosic cackled with glee. "MY FIRST VICTIMS...HAHAHA!"

The Mega Evolved Pokémon lunged at Greninja and Gardevoir, moving so quickly that even the Champion herself could not calculate where they would appear. Ash, however, could see through Greninja's eyes during transformation, and was able to focus on the advancing opponents. "Steady...steady..." he muttered to himself, mimicking Greninja's action of drawing his sword. Greninja closed his eyes and concentrated on Banette, who was preparing a Shadow Ball aimed at Clemont. "Now!"

With ease, Greninja dashed past Banette and slashed at its back, sending it into the ground. As Greninja turned, it was met with a flurry of attacks from Sharpedo and Beedrill, sending it flying into a wall. Greninja blocked with its blade, but was hit in the chest by a Fell Stinger. Just as the two enraged Pokémon were about to finish their barrage of attacks, a familiar pink glow surrounded Greninja and lifted it to safety. Confused, Greninja turned. There was Braixen, using her twig to keep the Ninja Frog afloat while she executed a Flamethrower on Beedrill. Meanwhile elsewhere in the room, Gengar disappeared into the ground and headed for Bonnie. Pikachu leaped off of Ash's shoulder upon realizing what it was doing and launched an Iron Tail on the ground, sending it spiraling upwards. The little mouse then used Quick Attack on the rubble to gain altitude until it was on eye level with Gengar. It was then that Gengar released a filthy orb of sludge at Pikachu, knocking it down. Pikachu squealed in pain, but a pair of strong feelers hurled it right back into the air. Sylveon stood beside the electric type and prepared to fire off a Moonblast. Pikachu and Sylveon simultaneously released a THunderbolt and a Moonblast, resulting in a huge explosion and an exhausted Gengar.

Milotic released itself from its Pokeball and wrapped its body around the group of trainer. Then it released a mighty cry and summoned a giant sphere of healing water that would act as a shield to protect from oncoming attacks. Dedenne too joined in the fray, as it joined its "brother" Pikachu in battle with Malamar. Diantha and her Gardevoir were preparing a Hyper Voice, prompting the others to take shelter in the Aqua Ring. Then, without any hesitation, Diantha ordered the attack. Gardevoir released a tremendous shockwave of Fairy type energy, weakening all that were not in the Aqua Ring.

Xerosic was weakening, but he managed to faintly smile. "This is only the beginning."


	49. Stand Together

The battle raged on. Hawlucha and Noivern teamed up to attack Beedrill, while Goodra and Dedenne set their sights on Sharpedo. Sylveon and Pikachu were locked in combat with Gengar, while Greninja, Braixen and Chespin all targeted the incoming Crobat and Malamar. Luxray and Talonflame prepared to defend Milotic, who was offering healing support to the injured and wounded with its Aqua Ring. Ash stood back to back with Diantha, who was ordering new attacks for Gardevoir, and clenched Serena's hand tightly. The honey haired girl had a look of determination on her face, as did the Lumiose twins. Bonnie had Poliwag help contribute to the Aqua Ring by using Water Gun to patch up holes that were made from the oncoming attacks. Banette advanced quickly into the heat of the battle and fired of a Shadow Ball at Gardevoir. The elegant but deadly Mega Evolved Pokémon teleported out of the way, before disappearing again. Banette turned and came face to face with a Moonblast, which was enough to send the Mega Pokémon flying backwards into a wall. The Pokémon reverted to its original form, swirls in its eyes.

"Greninja, Night Slash! Block that Psycho Cut!"

"Braixen, get ready with Fire Blast!"

Malamar had momentarily set its eyes on Greninja when it was struck in the chest by its Water Shuriken. Greninja pulled out its blade and sliced the wave of Psychic energy in half, leaving a clear opening for Braixen, she leaped forward onto Greninja's webbed hands as the Ninja Frog gave her a boost. She pulled out her twig and performed a front flip, finishing off her mini performance by shooting a massive star made of searing fire at Malamar. Even with its heightened strength thanks to the Mega Wave, Malamar was sent backwards and landed on the ground.

"Water Shuriken!" Ash yelled.

"GRENIN-JAAA!"

Malamar weakly looked up as Greninja pulled the throwing star off its back. The Shuriken was hurled right at the evil Pokémon, causing a huge explosion which resulted in a fainted Malamar. Braixen cheered joyfully, and Greninja pumped its fist. One down. Four to go.

Elsewhere on the battlefield stood Ash's Goodra and Bonnie's Dedenne. Bonnie was currently giving orders, as Ash was occupied with Malamar at the moment. Dedenne would dash in and used Nuzzle on Sharpedo, before it ran to cover behind Goodra. The Pseudo Legendary Pokémon then released a massive blast of draconic power, pulverizing the Mega Evolved Pokémon. Dedenne climbed up to Goodra's head and leaped into the air, before finishing their opponent with a superpowered Play Rough. Sharpedo was sent straight into the ground. The exhausted Pokémon dropped to the ground, free of the Mega Wave's power. Meanwhile, Pikachu and Sylveon continued to barrage Mega Gengar with a flurry of Thunderbolt and Moonblast. Pikachu made quick work of the Ghost type, performing a backflip that swung its Iron Tail attack upwards, knocking Gengar upwards and giving an opening to its Fairy type friend. Sylveon quickly summoned thousands of stars and aimed them at its enemy, battering it into a weakened state. Then, Sylveon grabbed Pikachu with its feelers and hurled it into the air. Pikachu's cheeks crackled with electricity. Ash turned to face it, and nodded. Pikachu looked back at its trainer and smirked evilly at Gengar.

"Alright Pikachu! We're gonna end this now! Use Gigavolt Havoc!" Ash shouted as he performed the activation dance. Suddenly, Pikachu was covered in a similar aura to Crobat and Malamar. It shrieked as it released the enormous stored up energy at its target. The roof of the facility caved in with the resulting explosion, forcing the trainers and Pokémon to take shelter in the Aqua Ring. Diantha realized that the Aqua Ring would conduct the electricity onto Ash and his friends, and quickly prepared a solution.

"Gardevoir, use Light Screen!"

"Garrdevoirrr!"

The ground shook from the force of Pikachu's Z Move. The explosion sent debris flying everywhere in all directions. The roof of the facility caved in, which did not go unnoticed by Xerosic. He was going to escape Geosenge and rebuild the Weapon elsewhere. Ash coughed from all the smoke, but kept his eyes on Xerosic. The others shielded their eyes and braced themselves for impact. Milotic let out a low growl upon taking so much damage. The Aqua Ring was fading! Poliwag tried to keep up with the rapidly dissipating water shield, but it couldn't. After all, it wasn't trained and it needed a break. Diantha looked up as the Aqua Ring completely dissipated, leaving Ash and the others completely unprotected from the chaos going on around them. Thankfully Light Screen was able to hold of the falling rocks and debris as the four trainers made their way to safety. Xerosic saw this as a prime opportunity to flee, and jumped from rock to rock, scaling the crumbling facility with relative ease.

Out of the corner of her eye, Serena noticed Xerosic escaping. "Ash! We have to stop him!" she cried.

Ash turned and shouted back. "We gotta get outta here first Serena! This things gonna blow!"

"But Ash!"

"Don't worry about him for now! I need to make sure everyone is safe first!"

Mutely, Serena nodded and took Ash's hand. The others had already made it out and were awaiting the couple at the exit. Ash and Serena barely escaped in time as the facility crumbled behind them and erupted in flames. Fortunately, all of the trainers made it, but unfortunately, so did Xerosic. Diantha turned to her Gardevoir and nodded. Immediately, Gardevoir raised its hand and a wave of Psychic energy shot out and surrounded the mad scientist, shackling him. Greninja took the opportunity to finish off its enemy and dashed past Gardevoir, leaping into the air. Greninja raised its arm, creating a massive Shuriken above its head, similar to the one it had used on Mega Sceptile in the Kalos League. A swirling vortex of water surrounded Greninja, before it collected on the Shuriken, further enlarging mimicked the action and raised his arm. "IT ENDS NOWW!"

"GRENIN-JAA!"

The Shuriken left its webbed hand and hit the restrained Xerosic with full power, resulting in yet another explosion. The blast caused everyone but Ash to turn and shield their eyes, and as they turned and the smoke cleared, Xerosic could be seen, exhausted, severely wounded and unconscious. His appearance reverted to his normal, stout body, and a helicopter carrying several Officer Jenny roared past them. The battle had finally ended once and for all. The name "Team Flare" would never be able to terrorize the citizens of Kalos again, thanks to the brave efforts of the four trainers Ash, Serena, Clemont and Bonnie.


	50. Reunion

Silence befell the young group of trainers as they looked around. Geosenge Town was still cased in a stone prison. Its citizens were still petrified, and the Pokémon were still frozen in time. Diantha turned on her holocaster and contacted Calem. "Calem? Calem where are you?"

A holographic image of the former Champion appeared in front of her. "Greetings Diantha. I have recovered Xerneas from the Winding Woods, and it is on its way to Geosenge. However, I believe it will be a long wait for you. Xerneas is currently in Anistar City."

"It's fine Calem, we'll be able to handle ourselves."

Suddenly, a bellowing voice was heard at the top of a cliff overlooking the ruined town. "No! It will be too late. Pokémon will die if they are not freed in a matter of 24 hours! People will in 7! I designed it that way so that they could be saved should a malfunction occur. Xerosic probably did not realize what it was, and he constructed it, in case the Weapon would not function without it."

The others turned to the source of the noise. Standing atop the hill stood AZ, a grim expression etched on his face. Ash took a step forward. "Is there any way to stop it?"

"There is one way, but I do not believe the emergency life support system is still intact."

"It's worth a try though, show us the way." Diantha muttered as she ended her call with Calem. AZ beckoned for the others to follow him back into the crater in which the Ultimate Weapon was resting. After wandering down several hallways, AZ entered the room housing the emergency life support system. The room was severely battered, and the whole facility was ready to crumble to the ground, but somehow, the Life Support was still intact. In fact, it was still in perfect condition! Amazed, the ancient man pulled the lever that reversed the effects of the Weapon. As the man was about to finish the operation, when he noticed a small red flower lying on the final switch. AZ's eyes opened with realization. "Oh my..." he whispered, fighting back tears. Bonnie stood next to her friends, when suddenly, it hit her. This man was the man from the story! Eagerly, she tugged her brothers jumpsuit. "Clemont! Clemont! Remember the story? The Legend of XYZ?"

Clemont looked down at his sister, puzzled. Then, it slowly dawned on him. "The Legend of XYZ? The story of the old man who lost his Pokémon in a war?"

Ash turned around in confusion. "You mean the XYZ tablets we found way back in that strange forest?"

"Yes! Those tablets complete the story! You see, many years ago, AZ had a Pokémon. He cherished it deeply, and loved it with all of his heart. His Pokémon harboured equally strong feelings for its caretaker. but when a war broke out in Kalos, The Pokémon was called to the battlefield. There, it was killed in battle, the only thing left behind by it was a withered red flower. Weeks after the incident, AZ came across the flower, and immediately knew. Enraged, he sought to build a Weapon that would end the war. He created the Ultimate Weapon about 2 months later, and thanks to his weapon, peace was restored to Kalos. However, AZ still sought revenge. By using the energy of Pokémon, he was able to resurrect his Pokémon; however, it took away many Pokémon's lives. Saddened by the drastic change of its master, the Pokémon deserted him.

Years later, his son Cain, stumbled upon the powers of the three guardians of Kalos: Xerneas, Yveltal, and Zygarde. Cain longed to make his father happy, and when he heard from the village elder that there was a way to find AZ's Pokémon again, he rushed off to search for them. Unfortunately, Yveltal was enraged with his hometown and consequently, froze his fiancée in stone. Cain now had two reasons to find the legendary Pokémon. By the time he had located Xerneas, soldiers had surrounded it and set it on fire. Cain watched helplessly as Xerneas withered into a treelike state. As the last straw, he looked to Zygarde, but it was simply too elusive for him to track. Cain gave up, and he passed away due to depression and sorrow. His body lies near the frozen statue of his fiancée, as well as three tablets that gave information on the whereabouts of the legendaries, in hopes that someone would stumble upon them and help his fiancée and his father."

Serena and Ash stood reverently, a sorrowful expression for the old man in front of him. Suddenly, Bonnie piped up. "Could it really be?!"

The four turned around and noticed a tiny Pokémon appear from behind the red flower. AZ was close to crying. The tiny Pokémon spoke softly. "You finally understand the value of human and Pokémon life..."

"Floette..." The man whispered,"oh my sweet Floette! You came back! Thank goodness..."

The old man's eyes welled up in tears, as Floette reached out and placed its miniature hand on AZ. The weeping man pulled in his beloved Pokémon close to his heart and continued his sobbing.

"It's...been...a-a..thousand years...!"

Floette silently nodded.

"And you remembered all this t-time?"

Another nod.

After a brief and teary exchange of words, AZ pulled the lever, freeing all that were petrified by the Ultimate Weapon. The citizens cheered. The Pokémon ran circles around each other. The Rocket Trio looked at each other and smirked. "We're alive!" The greenery soon reappeared, returning Geosenge Town to its original state. Now it was truly time to celebrate. Serena rushed into Ash's awaiting arms, and the two locked lips. Bonnie was holding both of Clemont's hands and jumping up and down, and the blonde inventor was awkwardly leaping with joy as well. Diantha looked to the sky and smiled. "Seems like Xerneas will help make things good for Cain as well," she thought to herself.

The sun was gone from view, yet no one was asleep yet. The town had announced a special presentation of fireworks, as well as a special ceremony for the four trainers to honour them in their valiant acts.

"I now present to you all, the heroes who helped to preserve the lives of us, and our Pokémon. Thank you all!"

Ash, Serena, Clemont and Bonnie stepped onto the makeshift stage, beaming as the elder awarded each of the trainers with the Kalos Medal of Honour. A Pokeball was engraved in the center, and each trainers name was written on the bottom of the platinum medallion. The crowd cheered. The village elder then slowly made his way up to the stage. "And now, it is time for the celebration to begin!"

The traveling companions sat on a small hill overlooking Geosenge, where they had a clear view of the spectacle in front of them. Serena rested her head on Ash's shoulder and snuggled in. Apparently they were going to rest there, as Bonnie had fallen asleep on her brother, and any small movement he made would surely wake her up. Serena could also feel her eyelids getting heavy. It had been a long day, and she had expected to be sleeping on a bed that night, but Ash would work as well. Suddenly she was jolted awake by footsteps. Diantha slowly approached Ash and Serena, her hands behind her back. "Ash?"

"Yeah? What's up Diantha?"

"On behalf of everyone at Geosenge Town, I would like to present you with a special ticket. These are given to only the strongest of trainers, and permit the user to battle against the region Champion even if they have not completed the Elite Four challenge. I spoke with Drasna, and she says you deserve it," Diantha said. Her lips curved upwards into a smile upon seeing the raven haired trainers excited expression. Her smile broke into a light chuckle when she saw Ash admire the ticket with childish adoration. She then turned to Serena. "Serena, the town would like to honor you by providing the two of you tickets to the Alola region. I hear that many performing Pokémon can be found there, so it's perfect for you!"

The honey haired performer gratefully accepted the gift, and Diantha returned to her helicopter. Then, she took off into the night, leaving the couple to enjoy the rest of their night alone.

* * *

 **Hello everyone! Quick update for you guys. The vote was unanimous. I have decided, with the help of you guys, that I will be doing another story after this one is over: An Adventure in Alola! Thank you all for supporting my story and reaching my goal of 100 favourites! I love you all, and I can't wait to start on Alola soon. By the way, the Legend of XYZ isn't over yet! See you all next time!**


	51. Ash and Serena's First Date

(Several days later)

Serena ran a brush through Braixen's fur, contemplating and reflecting on the events that occurred a few days ago. The group was now in Lumiose City, staying with Meyer in Clemont's home. Clemont and Bonnie had to deal with a challenger in the Lumiose gym, and Ash was out preparing for his match with Diantha. The honey haired girl was alone with her Pokemon in the guest bedroom, thinking. She did not want to relive the Kalos Crisis that had occurred, so she shifted her thoughts to something more enjoyable to think about. They would soon be traveling to Alola after consulting her mother, who would most likely approve, but she still was slightly concerned on the subject of re-introducing Ash. What would she say? Would she approve of them? Sighing, she finished grooming Braixen and set down her brush. Picking up her tablet, she quickly scanned through some of the potential Pokémon that were native to the Alola region, in hopes of coming across some that would be ideal for her performances. She had heard from Professor Sycamore that there were Pokémon Performances in Alola; however, the dances performed usually were associated to the island traditions, something she was not familiar with. There were also Pokémon Contests, although Serena wasn't sure how she would fare in the battling department. She would have to ask Ash later. And speaking of Ash...

"Hey Serena!"

The raven haired trainer was sweaty and tired. She couldn't help but giggle at his appearance. "What happened to you?"

"Well, I was trying to master that special Water Shuriken Greninja used in the Finals for the Kalos League, when I came across my old friend, Brock."

"We met him before, right?"

Ash nodded. "Yeah, he gave me some 'advice' on something I think you'll enjoy," he said excitedly. Serena smiled at the sight of the hyperactive boy she had come to love. She then stood up after returning Braixen.

"So, mind telling me?"

"You'll see. Come on, let's get going!"

"But Ash, I'm in my pajamas!"

"Then I'm gonna beat youuuu!"

Serena sighed, before grabbing her usual clothes from her bag. She appeared at the entrance of Clemont's home, where the raven haired trainer was waiting. "Let's go!" he said as he grabbed her hand. Serena blushed lightly. She was still not used to showing affection in public, though there had been times where she just couldn't resist. She had been holding these feelings inside for as long as she could remember, but now she was Kalos Queen. When seen in public, onlookers would refer to the couple as "the Kalos Royals" and "Majesty", forcing the honey haired girl to wait until they were far away from the eyes of the public to show her affection openly.

Ash continued to drag Serena through the crowd, though it was quite easy. Citizens would move out of the way for them even if they were a mile away. Ash was accustomed to this, as he had competed in various Pokémon Leagues, but now that he and Serena were a couple, he couldn't seem to get away from the press. His girlfriend had stopped to catch her breath, letting Ash think a little. "Lavarre City is up ahead isn't it?" he thought to himself. Then, he looked up. "Route 14. Good."

The sun was shining brightly in Lavarre, and Ash continued to drag Serena through the foliage that covered his secret hideout. Pushing aside the golden leaves, Ash let go of Serena's hand and showed her the view. Serena gasped lightly. Ahead of her was a blanket, with a couple of baskets on top, most certainly containing food. The view was amazing; they were standing on a cliff that overlooked the ocean, with little bits of golden leaves blowing softly by. The sun was just beginning to rise, painting the whole landscape perfectly. Ash then decided to explain. "Brock said you would like this. It's called a 'date', I think."

Without thinking, Serena draped her arms around Ash's chest, finding a warm snuggling spot on his neck. "Ash...it's perfect..." she whispered softly. The raven haired trainer chuckled, before he returned the embrace. The two remained together for a little longer, before Ash's stomach decided to imitate a Wailord. Serena giggled lightly, before patting his stomach gently. "Same old Ash!"

The meal consisted of Brock's finest cooking, and a dessert that was, apparently, made by Serena. Brock had been able to get Serena's special macaroon recipe, and had mastered it in no time. He had set the pair up, and he was not settling for failure. The two ate in silence, before Ash decided to be cheeky. "Serena?"

"Hmm?"

Serena had finished her meal and was resting in Ash's arms drowsily. Her head was on his shoulder, and her eyes were half opened. However, all her drowsiness faded away when she was startled by a sudden sweet fruit being placed in her mouth by none other than her raven haired boy. "Mmph!" she cried. Ash smirked, before he leaned down to gently place a kiss on her forehead, earning an adorable coo from the honey haired performer. Serena closed her eyes contentedly. It was perfect. Ash was acting like she had always imagined. She would have to thank Brock later, but for now, she enjoyed the moment, snuggling deeper into Ash's chest. Ash drew her in close, before resting his head on hers.

The two remained in the blissful embrace for a long period of time, with only a few words exchanged; the only other sounds heard were the songs of Fletchling and Pidgey, as well as the occasional screech of a hunting Braviary overhead. Ash felt himself getting drowsy, and soon, he fell asleep holding the snoozing performer in his arms, all anxiousness for the coming battle with Diantha the next day melting world around them seemed to grow quiet around them, and the two enjoyed a peaceful slumber.


	52. How They Came to Be

Ash and Serena rested on each other for a few hours before they decided to return to Clemont's home. They walked hand in hand, and no words were conveyed on the way. None were needed, either. It was a comfortable silence. The locals greeted them kindly and made a path for the two "royals", who quickly made their way to the house, embarrassed by the Kalos region's cordiality. Ash opened the door and was greeted by a familiar face. "Clembot?!"

"Hello Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. Do you remember me, Clembot?"

The couple was dumbfounded. "How did it remember everything?" Serena asked her boyfriend. Ash simply shrugged. "Clembot, can you take us to Clemont?"

"Of course Ash Ketchum, Serena Yvonne. Master Clemont is just down the hall."

Ash and Serena made their way upstairs to Clemont's room and opened the door, unfortunately just as one of his explosions went off, covering the entire party in black soot. Bonnie, who had been playing with Dedenne and Poliwag on the top of their shared bunk bed, was the first to respond.

"Clemont! The explosions HAVE to stop!"

Clemont, who had his hair in a disheveled afro, coughed out a "Sorry!" as he wiped the soot off his glasses. Serena and Ash were covered head to toe in the dust, sighed. No matter how many times the young inventor tried, his inventions went out with a bang, in some cases, several. Ash then spoke up. "So Clemont, We've been wondering. When did you find time to repair Clembot? And when did you restore its memory?"

Clemont smirked. "Well, fixing Clembot wasn't that hard. His chest piece was still intact, and his head was in perfect condition. All I needed to fix were his limbs. Unfortunately, the cost of fixing the whole machine was much too high, so I had to keep an eye out for the parts. His memory card was still functioning in the old one since I was able to recover it from the chestplate, so all I had to do was reprogram it into this new unit that I was able to purchase a few days ago when we got here."

"Wow science is so amazing!"

"When it doesn't blow up, mind you," Bonnie coughed out. Just then, Meyer called. "Dinner's ready, kids!"

"We better get changed and explain all this," muttered Ash. Clemont mutely nodded in agreement.

* * *

The four friends made their way downstairs to the kitchen area for dinner. Meyer was already waiting for them. On the table lay a grand feast, with all kinds of foods which were native to the Kanto region. Ash looked surprised. "I didn't know you specialized in Kantonian cuisine," he said, his mouth already watering.

"I didn't. Serena gave me a list of your favourite dishes a while ago when you were still competing in the Kalos League. Don't ask me where she got them from, 'cause I got no idea. I was out shopping for them with Ampharos today, so that's why you didn't see me."

Ash turned to Serena, who was hiding herself with her short hair, trying but failing to conceal her blush. Ash gave her a soft peck on the lips, causing her to yelp. "Thank you, Serena." The others watched in amusement. They all then got into their seats. "All right then, dig in guys!" Meyer announced.

As usual, Ash lunged for the various dishes, piling a ton of food on his plate. Meyer sweatdropped. Clemont had told him before that Ash ate a lot, but he had never imagined the extent of the boy's stomach. The others acted as if it was normal, patiently waiting for the plate to be passed around. Ash, after gobbling down half of the contents on his plate, then decided to speak up. "Wow, dish ish great! Where'd you get the reshipes Serena?"

Serena chuckled at his attempts to speak properly with food in his mouth, before responding. "Well, remember when you called your mom after winning the Kalos League? After you had left, the rest of us decided to have a friendly chat with her. She gave me a list of your favourite recipes, and I held onto them until now, because you'll need that extra energy for tomorrow, you know?"

Ash smiled. "So that's why you took so long in there."

Bonnie then piped in. "Ashhhhh, you still haven't told me how you and Serena got together! I know you told Clemont, because he seems to know every little thing there is to know about this subject. I wanna hear it from you, so pleaseeeeee?"

"Bonnie, please mind your manners, we're not here to embarrass everybody here, OK?" Meyer chided.

"No, no, it's OK. It's about time we tell you. It was way back, to the time of my Snowbelle City gym battle..."

* * *

The snow was falling slowly, blanketing the entire forest in white. Ash was sitting on a fallen tree trunk, his cap hiding his face. He radiated a different aura than his happy-go-lucky attitude this time around though. He was depressed. He had just lost his battle with the gym leader, Wulfric. His Greninja ended up gravely injured, confining it to a recovery bed after it was given the necessary treatment. Ash huffed, his breath visible against the backdrop of the snowy forest. Why couldn't he do it? Were his Pokémon not capable? Or was it him? Was he not capable of bringing out the potential of his partners?

No one was there to comfort him, not yet at least. He had left his friends back at the Pokémon Center, refusing to tell them where he went. Even Pikachu was not there to console him. The tiny Pokémon knew that he needed space, so he opted to rest with Bonnie this time. "I'll be back soon," was all he could say. However, upon noticing the saddened expression of one of his friends, Ash longed to stay. He knew Serena was upset that he had left so suddenly, and she would probably be looking for him if he did not return soon. There was something about her that made his heart ache upon seeing her. Ash did not know when he began to develop his feelings towards the girl. Maybe it was when he realized that she was the same girl he had loved back in Professor Oak's Summer Camp. Maybe it was when he remembered her after all those years. Maybe it was when he noticed how devoted she was to him. Either way, Ash knew, deep down, that he loved her deeply, and that it would hurt to see her distraught face should he return. "Maybe a few more hours," he thought.

The faint noise of feet trudging through the snow could be heard in the distance. "Ursaring or Stantler, probably." he thought. If it was an Ursaring, he was prepared to run, as he stood up and looked around, lifting his cap up so he could see. No one. The raven haired trainer sighed and sat back down. Wild Pokémon watched in the distance, not daring to approach the human, as they had seen others get snatched up by Pokémon poachers before. All was quiet, but Ash could hear the footsteps getting closer. Whatever it was, maybe it would see him and turn around, as the Pokémon living in the area were particularly wary of humans.

The footsteps got closer still, leaving Ash puzzled. However, when he looked up, all his confusion faded away, as he lifted his cap bridge to see who it was. It was her. She was panting slightly, and standing in front of him, a worried expression on her face. Serena bent down so that she was on eye level with the sitting boy. "Ash?"

"I-I'm sorry for making you worry, Serena."

The honey haired girl looked into his auburn eyes. She could see the cheerful vibe drained from them. She could see all the negative emotions swelling up in him, just by looking into his eyes. "Tell me what's wrong Ash. I won't judge you, you know that. Please, maybe I can help you," she pleaded with him. The raven haired trainer could only look away. "You don't understand, Serena." He felt terrible for pushing her away, but right now, he didn't want her to know. Serena, however, was not intent on giving up. "I know what its like to lose, Ash. My first performance ended in failure. I cried long and hard, but I remembered the words of a great trainer: Never give up 'till its over! Your words helped me overcome that obstacle, and look where I am now," she said softly, trying to console him in any way she could. Ash apparently wasn't listening, but when he heard the words "I know what its like to lose", he lost it.

"You don't have a clue about how I feel Serena!"

The honey haired girl took a step back. Had he even heard her words? Shocked, she let her emotions take over. "This isn't you Ash! The Ash I know never gives up! If he were with me right now, he would be on the battlefield training for his next match! The Ash I know doesn't ever give up! He may stumble, but he picks himself up and continues, not sit there pouting in the past! That's not the Ash I know. That's not the Ash I love!"

Upon saying those words, Serena instantly cupped her mouth, realizing what she said. Had it been a normal situation, she would have blushed, but instead, she formed a snowball and chucked it straight at Ash, hitting him square in the face. The raven haired trainer fell backwards, hitting his head on the soft snow. Serena continued throwing snowballs; however, Ash picked himself up and started to walk towards the weeping girl. Serena backed up, continuing her barrage, until she realized that none of her snowballs were hitting him. Ash's cap still blocked his face, rendering her unable to guess what he was feeling. However, she was startled out of her thoughts when she felt Ash bring her into his arms. Serena stood there, still as a statue, barely managing to take it all in. Was Ash hugging her? Did that mean...

"I-I'm sorry Serena...sorry for making you worry. Sorry for doubting myself. I-I know I'm gonna win that gym battle. For you." he spoke with confidence, instilling a sense of pride in her. She had been able to snap him out of it, and that itself was good enough. However, Ash continued to speak. "So...Y-you love me?"

Serena blushed madly. Thankfully he could not see it. Slowly, she brought her arms around Ash's back and rested her head on his shoulder. "Y-yes. I've loved you for a long time, Ash. Way back in summer camp. You were so kind to me, caring for my every need. Then when you left, I couldn't stand it. I longed to see you again, because...I wasn't happy without you! Then, when I saw you after all these years on TV, I knew that I had to find you! I just had to! I-I understand If you don't reciprocate, but I'll still-" Suddenly she was shushed by Ash putting a finger to her lips.

"I-I love you as well, Serena, though I didn't realize it at first. You always gave me confidence, y'know? Way back when I had my first Kalos gym battle, I wasn't sure I was gonna make it. But then you showed up, and you helped me win it! You always support me, and hearing you now...You remained loyal to me the entire time we were apart? That's amazing Serena! Lately I've been getting these weird feelings, like butterflies in my stomach or a longing to hear your voice or see you smile. I've finally come to realize, that I too, l-love you..."

Serena held Ash tighter as she heard his confession. Never in a thousand years would she have guessed this would happen. She sniffled, clearly overjoyed with this new revelation. Ash rested his head on top of hers, and the two continued to hold each other. Eventually, Serena gathered the nerve to ask one last thing. "Ash?"

"Hmm?"

"Could I-Could you...close your eyes?"

"OK..."

Serena took this opportunity to gently place her lips on his, causing a jolt of electricity to run through them. Ash's eyes shot open, but they gradually closed as he kissed her back. He never understood why people kissed, until he did it himself. The feeling was new, but pleasant. Her lips were soft and gentle. Eventually the two broke apart for air, but they continued to hold each other as the snow continued to fall in the background.

* * *

 **Hello everyone! I'm sorry for the lack of uploads last week, as I was very sick, with a fever of 104. Also, exams are coming up, so I don't know if that'll affect my schedule. Anyway, Thank you all so much for the continued support of this story. Recently, we hit 50000 views! And it's my first story too! I'm thankful for all of you viewers out there. Thank you for reading my story! I'll see you guys next time, hope you enjoy the longer chapter to make up for the lack last week!**


	53. The Night Before

Ash had finished his grand tale by now, allowing the others to take part in the dinner time conversation. Meyer had left before Ash began his story to prepare more food, but mostly because he didn't want to intrude. In the next room, he could hear the very distinguishable squeals of Bonnie, who was clearly overjoyed on the revelation. She knew that the two were a couple for a while now, as they had announced it when they returned to the Pokémon Center that day, but Bonnie had been dying to know the "full" details ever since. Ash was very occupied with his preparations for the Kalos League at the time, and Serena was too embarrassed to say anything. Clemont had secretly been guiding Ash, as well as Serena the entire time on their journey- ever since they began-, so he knew how the two felt towards each other, though he refused to tell Bonnie any of the secrets both parties had shared with him, leaving Bonnie in the dark. Still, Bonnie was perceptive as always, and she found out on her own the little secrets they told Clemont without much difficulty.

Meyer returned to the table and placed more food on the table, and was about to leave, but Clemont assured him he wasn't intruding. The older man sat down at the head of the table and began to eat. It wasn't long before the peaceful silence was interrupted by Bonnie once again. "Ash? What Pokémon will you be using tomorrow?" Ash was still wolfing down his food, and it took a moment for him to respond. "I can't really tell you, but the only hint I'll give is that they are my six strongest Pokémon. We're ready for our battle tomorrow, isn't that right Pikachu?"

Pikachu and the other Pokémon were seated on the floor, munching on the special Pokémon food that they were given. The little mouse pumped his chubby fist and squealed a happy "Pi-Pikachu!" in reply. Ash chuckled, before returning to his food. Clemont went on to explain the details of how he managed to repair Clembot, much to the silent dread of the others.

Ash was the first to finish, and with a mouth full of food, thanked Meyer. "All right guys, let's train!" The other Pokémon mumbled their cry of approval, all with stuffed mouths as well. Snorlax, in particular was having a bit of trouble exiting the room, being forced to waddle his way out the door to the spacious backyard of the home.

Serena was the next to finish, giving her thanks and dashing outside with her own Pokémon to watch Ash train. She had often been inspired by him in her performances. Many times she would get to work polishing her own performances after she had watched one of Ash's training performances. She watched with admiration as he tried to teach his Charizard a combination of using Dragon Tail and Fire Punch, with great results. Charizard was able to quickly throw out a swift Dragon Tail, knocking his opponent, Noivern, upwards. Then he followed up with an equally fast Fire Punch, landing a solid hit and sending Noivern backwards. Noivern was still the youngest and most inexperienced battler on the Kalos team, but at least having strong opponents like Charizard hardened it into the fearsome Dragon Type it was now. Ash continued for a little longer, teaching new, more powerful moves to his Pokémon. After about an hour, the raven haired trainer nodded and returned his Pokémon. He was ready for tomorrow. However, since he was allowed to keep several more Pokémon than normal, he decided to take his Kalos team too, so that he could switch to his normal team by the time he finished the Victory Road trek.

* * *

The night was rather quiet in Lumiose that night, allowing the group to sleep soundly. One person, was still awake. Serena stood out on the balcony, admiring the night sky. She was dressed in her sleeping attire, and her trademark bow in her hair. She was lost in thought, her hair flowing freely in the slightly chilly air. Now that her journey was coming to an end, what would happen now? She knew that she wanted to continue traveling with Ash, but at the same time, she was Kalos Queen. She couldn't just leave, right? Aria would probably be more than happy to help defend her title while she was away, but then again, would Monsieur Pierre allow it? He had only allowed it once, when Shauna had managed to tie with Aria, giving her the chance to step up and become Queen, but she said no, as she was also still on a journey with Tierno and Trevor. Maybe Pierre would agree again. Maybe not.

Serena was so lost in thought that she hadn't realized the light footsteps of Ash approaching her. Only when he brought his arms around her back and hugged her from behind was she startled out of her trance. "What's up Serena? Something wrong?"

Serena smiled faintly. "Well, I was just thinking...Will I be able to leave Kalos with you? Or will I have to stay and defend my title as Kalos Queen?"

"Well, I don't know about Pokémon Performances, but I do know that you can leave the region if you want if you're Champion. Back in Kanto, I managed to conquer the Battle Frontier, and I became a Frontier Brain. I wanted to keep traveling though, so I spoke with the officials. They agreed to let me leave, but I was able to retain my status as Frontier Brain." Ash then revealed his Trainer ID to Serena, who gingerly took it into her hands. She scanned through the card briefly, realizing just how much her boyfriend traveled.

"Champion of the Orange League...Frontier Brain of Kanto...Top Four in the Sinnoh League..." and the most recent," Champion of the Official Kalos Pokémon League."

Ash chuckled nervously. He had never spoken to her about his past achievements, and it was a little embarrassing for her to discover it all of a sudden. Serena handed him the card and turned herself to face him, wrapping her arms around him as well. "Thanks Ash...Once you're done beating Diantha, I'll email Monsieur Pierre and ask him. If yes, than I can go, but if not..."

"Hey. Don't worry about that now," Ash quietly said. Serena nodded, and a comfortable silence followed. Serena then spoke up after a while. "Aren't you nervous?"

Ash looked down at the girl, and gently pulled one of her arms from around his back and onto his heart. "You can probably tell." Serena chuckled when she felt Ash's quickened heartbeat.

"I am nervous, but I know my Pokémon can pull through. We've come so far, and there's no way we're gonna lose to Diantha. Not after Greninja almost took down Gardevoir a while ago."

Serena smiled at his determination, before letting out a cute yawn. "Someone's tired," Ash teased.

"Not...Really..Your fault for being warm..." Serena managed to mutter, before she let out another yawn. The raven haired trainer's lips curved upwards as he took the drowsy girl into their room. Ash tucked her in and kissed her forehead. Then, he took his place beside her and pulled up the covers. Serena crept closer to him silently, until she was able to rest her head on his chest, listening to his heart beat once again. Ash wrapped his arms around her, bringing her in close. He ran his hand through her soft hair, before uttering a soft "Goodnight Serena" to the half asleep girl. "Sweet...Dr..eams Ash."


	54. The Final Challenge

Ash and his friends had awoken early the next morning and had made the necessary preparations for the long journey through Victory Road and to Diantha. After a quick breakfast, the group were off after telling Meyer their plans. Meyer offered them a ride, but it was declined by Ash, who had taken out his Pidgeot and his Charizard. Bonnie managed to swipe Talonflame's Pokeball, insisting that she ride it, but Clemont shot her down, naturally. Talonflame was barely able to carry Greninja, much less Bonnie. Serena and Ash decided to mount up on Charizard, since it was a little harder to control without Ash as the driver. Bonnie had groomed Pidgeot before, and Clemont had trained with it, so the two assumed Pidgeot was comfortable with them. They were correct.

"See you later Meyer!" Ash shouted as they slowly lifted themselves into the air. "Bye Dad!" Clemont cried out as they too, began to vanish out of sight. Meyer proudly watched from the ground, waving at them. "Take good care of Bonnie, son! Bonnie! Listen to Clemont!"

"Will do Dad! See ya!" Bonnie waved back. Pidgeot and Charizard were now just mere specks in the sky by the time the group had said their goodbyes to onlookers from Lumiose. Serena clutched Ash's back tightly; her fear of heights had never left her ever since Ash found out when they rode Mamoswine together across a rickety old bridge. Ash knew this, and decided to fly a little lower. Patting Charizard's back, he motioned for it to descend into the clouds, where Clemont was. The blonde inventor was equally afraid, unlike his crazy sister, who insisted they go higher. Charizard slowly lowered himself to Pidgeot's level, earning a sigh a relief from Serena. "Better?"

"Better." She whispered almost inaudibly as she buried her head right back into Ash. Bonnie snickered. Ash then looked over his shoulder and looked at Clemont, who was shaking in fear. "Take us do-down a bit Pidgeot," he shouted amongst the wind. Bonnie, meanwhile had both her hands in the air and yelling "Higher! Higher!" Pidgeot was confused on who to obey. Puzzled, it decided to follow Charizard.

After a few minutes, Charizard swooped down, startling both Ash and Serena. Pidgeot followed suite, though it was gentler during its descent. Clemont was the first to get off. "Finally! I am never going to fly again!" Bonnie heard and mumbled under her breath. "Wonder what Dad says when I tell him you won't be coming home anytime soon and that I came home alone." Clemont huffed.

Ash jumped off of Charizard, obviously pumped for his final challenge. He then remembered Serena and sheepishly turned around to meet her amused face. He held out her hand, to which she took, and helped her off his Pokémon. The group then turned to face the building in front of them. It resembled the Tower of Mastery very faintly, but it was much more ornate. The group opened the gates and entered into the structure. A long hallway was there to greet them, along with a plethora of paintings hanging on the left and right. Upon closer inspection, Clemont realized that these were detailed documents that told of the creation of the Kalos League, as well as the Elite Four's acceptance to their titles. Another painting depicted what appeared to be the Kalos Region's first ranked Pokémon battle, which had a small inscription that stated that a long time ago, Cain searched for someone powerful enough to help him defeat Yveltal so that he could revive his love by having two trainers he deemed worthy battle to see which was the most powerful. When a candidate was selected, he would chase down the legendary. Most attempts at taking the creatures life ended in failure, however.

As Clemont was busy fawning over every single piece of information there was in the paintings and portraits, Ash had given his Trainer ID to the receptionist. "It appears that you have not defeated Drasna of the Elite Four, Ash. I'm afraid that I cannot allow you to battle Diantha," she politely stated. Ash then flashed his special ticket that he had earned at the Geosenge celebration, gaining her immediate attention. "I-uh-I-I'm sorry Ash, but I am a rookie here. Usually trainers are not able to aquire this, so we are trained in identifying its validity. However, as I stated, I am a rookie, so I do not really know...Would you mind if I go and get Diantha?"

"Sure. Do whatever you need."

As the receptionist scurried off, she immediately bumped into Drasna, who was walking slowly out of the Dragonmark Chamber to inform her. "The lad is a capable one, Serah; this ticket is also legitimate. I gave him my word that he could skip my challenge with the ticket." She then turned to Ash. "Go get 'em, Future Champ!"

Ash nodded and walked down the hall, joined by Serena, Clemont and Bonnie. When he reached the end, he turned to his friends. "Well, this is it guys. I'm going to go now." Serena was the first to speak. "I know you'll win! I'm rooting for you!" She then ran up to him and kissed him. Ash smiled, before he turned to the other two. "Clemont, Bonnie. Thanks for staying with us this far. This is it. I'm gonna win this whole thing for you guys!"

"We believe in you Ash!"

"We're always gonna cheer for you!"

With those words replaying in his mind, Ash ascended to the platform and scanned his ticket. The platform read it and verified it. Then it flashed green. "Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. Do you wish to proceed to the final challenge?"

"I do."

Suddenly, the platform lifted itself off the ground, lifting Ash off the ground and into the air. The ceiling opened, revealing a very bright room above him. As he looked down, Ash waved to his friends one last time, before the platform slotted itself into the cavity that had opened to fit it into the top level. Ash looked to the sky, ready to face his final battle.


	55. I've Gotta be the Very Best

The platform clicked as it reached the appropriate level, allowing Ash to step off and enter into the stadium. The elaborate layout of the chamber resembled one of royalty. Two curtains veiled the Kalos Champion from the view of the Pallet Trainer, and on the floor were engravings that covered the floor of the stadium, each representing a Pokémon type, such as Fire or Fairy. Ash looked around in awe, before being snapped out of his thoughts by the familiar clacking of heels. The raven haired trainer turned and saw Diantha approaching him through the veil. "Ash! It's been a while! How've you been?"

"Hey Diantha. I'm doing great! Let's get to our battle right away though! I've waited for so long to have a battle against a Champion and I can't wait to get started!"

"Dully noted," The Champion chuckled, "but request granted. Let's have that battle! I'm warning you though, I won't be going easy on you!"

"We've made it this far. We're not gonna give up now!"

Diantha then explained the rules to Ash. "This will be a full six on six battle. The winner is declared Champion if the challenger manages to defeat all of the Champion's Pokémon with at least one Pokémon remaining. If both trainer's last Pokémon are unable to continue battling, the challenger will lose the match. Are you ready?"

"Sure am? Show us your first Pokémon!"

Diantha smirked, before revealing her first Pokémon. She hurled the Pokeball into the air, and a familiar Pokémon appeared in front of Ash. "It's a Hawlucha!" Diantha's Hawlucha pumped its fist and flexed. Apparently all Hawlucha were like that. Ash then took out his first Pokémon. "All right, Infernape! You're up!" However, another of Ash's Pokémon responded and released itself, much to the surprise of its trainer. "Luchaaaa!"

"What-! Hawlucha! Get back in your Pokeball!"

Hawlucha was heartbroken. Reluctantly, it returned into its Pokeball. It would get its turn to battle later, it kept repeating to itself. Ash then threw his Pokeball into the air, and Infernape emerged from its confine, letting out a mighty howl that scared even Diantha. " _Wow, Ash's Pokémon look strong, but no matter. There's definitely no holding back this time." "_ All right! Battle Begin in 3...2...1!"

"We'll take the first move! Mach Punch!"

"Hawlucha, jump into the air to dodge it, and then use Swords Dance!"

Infernape growled and lunged at Hawlucha, knocking it back a couple feet as soon as its fist collided with it. Hawlucha, however, seemed to shrug it off, and leaped into the air. Then, the all to familiar sign of a stat boost occurred as Hawlucha performed an intimidating dance, resulting in his body being covered in a reddish aura. "Now, use Flying Press!"

"Infernape, don't let him get to you! He may be fast, but we can counter that! Bulk Up quickly!"

Infernape quickly began to tense the muscles in his body, making them stiff. Meanwhile, Hawlucha had begun its attack, leaping high into the air. It tucked in its wings, and began to turn its body, spiraling downwards towards its opponent. By now, Infernape had finished using Bulk Up, resulting in a Defense and Attack boost. Ash then prepared to counter. "Infernape, get ready! We practiced this before with our own Hawlucha! Use Flame Wheel!"

Infernape howled once again, tensing itself for the moment Hawlucha would come crashing down on it. It appeared shortly after, moving at a blinding speed and preparing to strike Infernape in the back of its head. The Sinnoh starter was ready for it though, and lit its own body on fire with Flame Wheel. Hawlucha was shot back into a nearby wall, sliding down it slowly. However, it recovered quickly and spoke telepathically with Diantha, a trait that all of her Pokémon could achieve. "Acrobatics!"

Hawlucha vanished instantly, leaving Infernape confused. "OK Infernape, Bulk Up again, then wait for my command!" Infernape obeyed, performing another Bulk Up and consequently another stat boost. Then it closed its eyes and concentrated, blocking out all outside noise except for the sound of its trainer's voice. Ash also closed his eyes, relying on his instinct. A faint noise could be heard, giving Ash the ability to successfully predict his opponents next move. "Now! Use Mach Punch. Then Flamethrower to the left!"

Infernape's eyes shot open and met with the incoming Hawluucha's. It smirked evilly as it brought its white hot fist upwards, knocking Hawlucha up with the powerful uppercut. Then, a powerful blast of fire was expelled from its mouth, leaving Hawlucha with a nasty burn. Although damaged, it did not give in. Diantha realized that Ash had gained much more skill since the last time they fought. He was much more calm, and less anxious, which was the complete opposite of his past self, reckless and impatient. "Time for plan B," she thought to herself. "Hawlucha! Use that Sitrus Berry you're holding!" Eagerly, it obeyed, devouring the berry, but still got damaged from the burn. "Now use Acrobatics over and over!"

Hawlucha picked up on its trainer's intentions and quickly complied. Again, it vanished, leaving Ash in the dark about its next appearance. Suddenly, Hawlucha appeared from behind and landed several hits to the shocked Infernape. Infernape was sent into the ground from the repetitive Super Effective attacks, but it managed to hang on, thanks to the Bulk Ups as well as Ash's encouraging words. "Infernape, Let's show them what we're made of! Use Mach Punch to knock it down, and then light it up with Flame Wheel!"

Infernape swung its entire body around and smashed its fist into Hawlucha's gut, sending it spiraling into the stadium floor. Then it finished up the attack with a powerful Flame Wheel, knocking it out. Diantha stood amazed. "You've progressed extremely well since I last saw you at the Kalos League! I'm impressed, but we're just getting started. For now, return, Hawlucha. You did well. Tyrantrum! You're up next!"

The living fossil came to life and emerged from its Pokeball, letting out a massive roar. Ash quickly scanned it with his Pokedex. "Interesting choice...you OK to keep going Infernape?"

Infernape turned and pumped its fist, the flame on top of its head roaring to life as it was getting pumped. "Let's go! Use Mach Punch over and over again!"

"Not going to happen, unfortunately. Use Dragon Tail!"

Tyrantrum waited for Infernape to make its move patiently. Infernape eyed its opponent suspiciously, wondering what it was planning. Eventually it got impatient and decided to use its speed to quickly land a Mach Punch before it could knock it away. Tyrantrum, accustomed to seeing this, casually swung its emerald glowing tail around, knocking Infernape back into its Pokeball. In its place, another of Ash's Pokémon appeared. "Snorlax? Are you ready?" Snorlax let out a yawn, before nodding; it then leaped up and down, forming a small crater in the ground. Diantha smirked. "All right let's go! Tyrantrum, Outrage!"

"Snorlax, paralyze it with Body Slam!"


	56. Like No One Ever Was

"Body Slam!" yelled Ash.

"Get ready Tyrantrum!"

Snorlax rushed at the prehistoric Pokémon, getting ready to slam into Tyrantrum with all of its might. It was about to make contact when Diantha calmly ordered the move. "Outrage!"  
Tyrantrum roared as its entire body turned purple, a telltale sign of a Dragon type move. Then it attacked Snorlax in a frenzy; slashing, biting, and trampling it. Snorlax wasn't able to withstand the attack, and was sent into the air. Tyrantrum then leaped after it, jumping off the flying debris to gain altitude until it was above it. Finally above it, Tyrantrum slammed its hardened tail down on Snorlax's stomach, causing it to crash into the ground below. Snorlax struggled to stand up. Eventually, it gathered its strength to stand hunched over. Ash was worried. "You OK back there, Snorlax?" The massive Pokémon nodded. "Ok, if you're ready, use Defense Curl!"

"Tyrantrum, use Crunch!"

The intimidating Dragon type let out a mighty roar and began to run towards Snorlax. "Keep using Defense Curl! Don't worry about Tyrantrum!" Tyrantrum closed the gap just as Snorlax finished using his last Defense Curl, and it opened its jaws to deliver the lethal blow. However, as it clamped down on Snorlax, it looked up to see that it hadn't even budged. However, this was just what Ash needed: momentary hesitation. "Rollout!" Snorlax roared and hurled Tyrantrum into a wall after using its extremely strong Rollout attack. Then, Ash commanded Snorlax to finish it off with an Earthquake, one that he was certain would KO. Snorlax summoned all its strength to call down a might Earthquake that shattered parts of the stadium. Tyrantrum, who was just recovering from the nasty Rollout from before, became the focus of the Earthquake, knocking it out just as Ash suspected. However, he did not expect to see Snorlax panting so heavily. As the smoke cleared, it was revealed that Tyrantrum was struck by a piece of falling debris while simultaneously being hit by Earthquake, almost ensuring its knockout. Diantha smiled. "Using the environment to your advantage was pretty clever Ash, but now its time for me to reveal my next Pokémon. "Go, Gourgeist!"

Ash slightly underestimated Diantha's next Pokémon, but only because he knew of Jessie's, which, honestly, was pretty weak. However, Diantha started right away and ordered a Leech Seed. Ash shouted for Snorlax to dodge, but the bulky Pokémon was too exhausted to move. Using Earthquake had taken a lot of its energy from it, and now it was only just barely hanging on. "Rollout!" Ash shouted, hoping that a weaker move would at least let it move a bit. Snorlax was seeded quite easily, and its Rollout was getting weaker by the second due to exhaustion. "Now Gourgeist, use Will-O-Wisp!"

"Snorlax, Dodge it!"

Unfortunately for Ash, Snorlax was too weak to avoid the attack, and took the burn to the face. Ash was now sweating. Gourgeist would simply heal with its leftovers he spotted when it emerged from its Pokeball, and Leech Seed would eventually sap Snorlax of its health. On top of that, it was also burned. Luckily for him, Gourgeist had no attack moves that weren't Ghost Type, but even that wasn't much of an advantage. Then, he got an idea. "Snorlax! Jump and use Rollout on the ground!"

Snorlax, though confused, obeyed and executed the attack perfectly. "OK! Now use Rollout off of the debris!" Once again, Snorlax executed the attack, leaping off the flying debris with enhanced speed, a benefit of using Rollout on a slow Pokémon. Snorlax hit Gourgeist square in the chest, sending it skidding backwards. Strangely enough, Gourgeist simply stood there after it recovered. Confused, Ash's eyes widened as he realized that Snorlax would be finished this turn. Diantha calmly ordered a Phantom Force, causing Gourgeist to disappear instantly from the battlefield. Then, Ash watched in horror as Snorlax dropped down, unconscious from taking the burn and Leech Seed damage. Now what was he going to do? If he brought in another Pokémon, Diantha would get a free hit with Phantom Force. Sighing, he whispered a few words of encouragement before returning Snorlax. "All right Infernape! Your're up! Stay sharp and avoid that Phantom Force when you enter!"

Infernape emerged from his Pokeball and howled in agreement. Then it knelt down on one knee and concentrated intensely, trying to decipher Gourgeist's location. As soon as he saw Gourgeist's shadow about to attack, Infernape's eyes shot open and it cartwheeled out of harm's way. Diantha anticipated this and ordered several Shadow Ball to be fired at the Sinnoh starter Pokémon. Infernape put on a remarkable show, dodging past the orbs of Ghost Type energy with ease. As it approached the nervous Gourgeist, Infernape lit itself on fire using Flame Wheel and collided into its opponent, sending it flying upwards. Gourgeist recovered quickly and fired another Shadow Ball, this time much larger than the first. Infernape, however, had other plans as it smashed right through it with a Fire Punch. Diantha was shocked. "It must be that Ash's Infernape has the ability Iron Fist, and it already used several Mach Punches earlier on in the match," she thought. She did not know that the effects of it remained even if the user was removed from the battle by Roar or Dragon Tail. (A/N: In the games, this is not true, but for the purpose of my story, it is. :) Gourgeist had landed by narrowly avoiding Infernape's blazing fist, and assumed a battle position, ready to strike down its opponent. Infernape quickly rushed at Gourgeist again, not allowing it to rest. It threw out several lightning fast Fire Punches and ended with a Flame Wheel, disintegrating its opponent's Leftovers and hurling it into the ground.

Gourgeist struggled to get up. Weakly it managed to stand for a moment, before its eyes flared to life. The pumpkin carving on its chest lit up, filling it with newfound strength. Ash was taken aback momentarily. Gourgeist cackled like a maniac, before it created a huge Shadow Ball and lobbed it at Infernape. After that, the flare in its body left, and it was on the floor, crippled. Infernape's Iron Fist was at the maximum right now, allowing it to hit harder than ever before. It was now or never. "Fire Punch through it!" yelled Ash. Infernape howled and rushed at the incoming Shadow Ball. Its size was enormous, and it was acting as a shield for Gourgeist. If it did hit Infernape, the battle would be over; however, if Infernape broke through, Gourgeist would be finished. Both Trainer and Champion looked on anxiously to see if Infernape would break through.


	57. Never Give Up

Infernape lunged at the massive Shadow Ball, readying a flaming fist to counter it. As it neared the Shadow Ball, it brought its fist up and smashed it into the Shadowy projectile. To Diantha's surprise, the Shadow Ball was dissipated instantly, revealing an exhausted Gourgeist who was using the massive Shadow Ball to protect it from further damage while it regained its breath. Gourgeist looked up to see Infernape in a maddened state, readying another of its supercharged Fire Punch to knock it out. With what little energy it had left, Gourgeist vanished and Infernape brought his fist into the ground, missing it completely. Infernape closed its eyes and attempted to pull off the previous feat it had done before, but Gourgeist reappeared too quickly and it attacked with all of its strength. Infernape's eyes shut tightly as it tried to bear the pain, but by now, Gourgeist had already fired a Leech Seed and was recovering slowly. Infernape then went into a frenzy, throwing punch after punch after punch, but to no avail. Gourgeist was regaining its energy, and was slowly becoming more and more nimble. However, Infernape's Iron Fist was strong enough to KO it in two hits if it managed to land the attacks. With this knowledge in the back of its mind, Infernape knelt down and closed its eyes. Gourgeist was busy charging up another Shadow Ball, rendering it immobile at the moment, but Infernape was quickly able to locate it. As Gourgeist finished charging up the attack, Infernape opened its eyes and charged, it entire body flaming hot. Frightened, Gourgeist fired off the attack, but Infernape smashed through and continued to advance. Gourgeist was too occupied charging up another Shadow Ball, allowing Infernape to attack with little to no effort. Just as its fist collided with its opponent, Gourgeist fired off a Shadow Ball in its face, resulting in a KO on both party's sides. Both Ash and Diantha recalled their Pokémon. After a few words of encouragement, the trainers returned the Pokeballs to their belt and called out their next Pokémon. "Sceptile, I choose you!" Ash shouted as he released his Sceptile, one of his strongest ever Pokémon and one of the two on his team to have taken down a legendary. On the other side, Diantha called out her Aurorus, a mighty Pokémon native to Kalos that lived in frigid environments.

The two combatants eyed each other cautiously, trying to determine the best approach. Sceptile turned to Ash and spoke in its own language. Ash understood and nodded. Diantha was the first to make a move. "Aurorus! Blizzard!" A concentrated blast of icy wind was summoned by Aurorus and quickly traveled to the other side of the stadium. Ash had to act quickly. If no move was made, Sceptile would probably be taken down quickly. Then, an idea popped into his head. "OK, Sceptile! Use Frenzy Plant to form a barrier! Then when Blizzard is over, use Leaf Blade on the roots and send the debris flying to Aurorus!" Sceptile reacted quickly, quickly summoned several massive roots from the ground. The roots entwined together, forming a tight barrier to block the incoming Blizzard. The barrier was, for the most part, successful. The tiny cracks in between the roots allowed a few icy projectiles to shoot through, but Sceptile easily evaded them. When Blizzard was finished, Sceptile used Leaf Blade and sliced the Frenzy Plant, causing the roots to split and sever. Then Sceptile leaped into the air and sent the debris at Aurorus. The prehistoric Pokémon took the brunt of the attack, and recovered quite well, but it was not prepared for its opponent to appear from behind and bring the Leaf Blade down on its back. Aurorus grunted in pain, but Sceptile wasn't finished yet. It landed on the ground and ran between Aurorus' legs, slicing at each of them, which caused Aurorus' knees to buckle. As Aurorus fell to the ground, Sceptile leaped into the air, turned around, and summoned a mighty Dragon Pulse that shook the entire stadium. A huge explosion followed, but as the smoke cleared, a fainted Aurorus could be seen on the stadium floor. Diantha was now slightly fearful of Ash taking her position. If he managed to take down her next Pokémon this quickly, Gardevoir would be in trouble. With a shaking hand, she returned Aurorus and called out her next Pokémon. A Goodra appeared before her, causing Ash to take a step back. Goodra was Kalos' Pseudo Legendary Pokémon. If that thing knew Ice and Water Type moves, he was finished. Now both trainers were trembling with excitement.

"Goodra! Use Ice Beam!"

"Block with Dragon Pulse, then go in for a Leaf Blade!"

Goodra fired off the Ice Beam, the energy projectile aimed right at Sceptile's head. In turn, Sceptile summoned a Dragon Pulse and quickly fired to counter the opponents attack. Both attacks cancelled out. Using the smoke as cover, Sceptile speedily dashed over to where Goodra was standing and tripped it. Goodra fell to its knees, but remained ready to take its next order from Diantha. Then, Sceptile went in for the kill, bringing its blades together to form an "X". Unbeknownst to him, Goodra had the ability Sap Sipper, which prevented it from taking damage from Grass Type moves. Sceptile was shocked to find Goodra unfazed by the attack. Goodra then used this opportunity to finish off the stunned Sceptile. Quickly it fired off an Ice Beam, freezing Sceptile in place. Then it lifted its head and fired an Ice Beam, finishing off the poor Sceptile. Ash was growing worried. Pikachu did not have the natural bulk to compete with Goodra, and Charizard was at a type disadvantage. If Greninja took damage for the two, it would probably not be ablt to withstand the sheer power of Diantha's Gardevoir. Ash nervously released his next Pokémon. How the battle could be turned, he did not know, but he remembered his motives, and he readied himself for the toughest battle to come.


	58. Not Over Yet

"Go, Charizard!"

Ash's strongest Kanto Pokémon emerged from its Pokeball in a flash of bright light, letting out a roar that sent shivers down Goodra's spine. Diantha kept her cool and continued with her strategy. "Goodra, use Muddy Water!"

"Charizard! Dodge and use Dragon Tail!"

Both Pokémon executed their respective attacks, with Goodra spewing filthy water at Charizard, while Charizard took to the skies and rolled right or left to evade the attack. Charizard survived the attack and swooped down to meet Goodra. At the last moment, he swung an emerald tail at the Pseudo Legendary and knocked Goodra back. Goodra's natural bulk helped it to take the hit fairly well and it countered with another Muddy Water. Charizard was too close to dodge, and was sprayed in the face with the super effective blast of water. Charizard was sent into the wall, but also recovered relatively well. Ash needed to Mega Evolve his Charizard now, or it would be too weak to fight, as the energy required would be much too strong, and it would sap Charizard of its strength. Eagerly, he raised his hand into the air, revealing the Mega Z Ring prototype on his wrist. The Pallet trainer then tapped on the Mega Stone, sending the familiar tendrils of energy out from him and into Charizard, who was, by now, engulfed in a blinding light. A massive sphere completely covered Charizard, until it shattered, and a gust of wind was let out into the stadium. Charizard Y roared as its mega evolved forme was revealed to Diantha and her Goodra. Suddenly, the stadium became dry and arid. It was probably an effect of Charizard's Drought, but Goodra remained calm. "Use Dragon Pulse!" Diantha ordered. Goodra summoned a powerful energy bolt, the draconid projectile heading straight for Charizard. "You too! Use Dragon Pulse!" Ash shouted. Charizard Y immediately launched the powerful attack, ignoring the fact that it took two turns to fire. The two attacks collided, but one was clearly the victor. Charizard's Dragon Pulse shot right through Goodra's as if it wasn't even there and smashed into its chest. Goodra slouched to the ground, clearly weakened by the attack. "Get and use Bide!" Diantha anxiously said. Goodra's body was then engulfed in a reddish hue. It firmly planted both feet into the ground and readied itself for what was to come. Charizard continued its assault, launching multiple Dragon Pulses and an occasional Fire Blast, but Goodra just stood there. Eventually Charizard was ordered to use a Thunder Punch on its opponent, which was just the right opening that Diantha was waiting for. "Now! Let it all out!"

Goodra used all of his strength to fire off a white hot energy bolt at Charizard. The mega evolved Pokémon was struck right in the chest by Goodra's Bide, sending it reeling backwards. Goodra then tried to finish off Ash's Pokémon with a Muddy Water, but Charizard's drought weakened the attack enough so that it could survive. Enraged, Charizard used a powered up Fire Blast, inflicting a grievous burn on its opponent. Goodra slumped on the ground, panting heavily. This gave Ash the opportunity to finish off the Kalos Pseudo Legend with one final Dragon Pulse. Goodra was sent flying into the air and into the wall of the stadium, which in turn caused the whole back wall of the stadium to shatter and collapse. Diantha returned her fainted Pokémon and nodded to her Gardevoir, who was standing next to her. Gardevoir gracefully leaped onto the battlefield and entered a battle stance. Charizard eyed Gardevoir cautiously, trying to size up its strongest opponent yet. Gardevoir was the first to move. "Use Psychic!"

Out of nowhere, Charizard was lifted from its standing position and hurled all over the stadium, with Gardevoir slamming it into various walls and even through the ceiling, before sending it straight into the ground. As Charizard Y was recovering from the attack, Diantha clicked on the Key stone which was on her necklace and Mega Evolved her Gardevoir. revealing the all too familiar threat that Ash dreaded and loved at the same time. The two Mega Evolved Pokémon were now even. Charizard was the first to attack as Ash commanded it to use Fire Blast once again. Diantha countered quickly by having Gardevoir use Reflect, turning Charizard's sheer power against it. The Kanto starter was hit in the face with its own full power Fire Blast, causing its wings to droop. It could no longer fly. Diantha then wrapped up the battle with one powerful move: a Pixilated Hyper Beam. The attack ripped a hole in the stadium and sent Charizard along with it, its crippled body unconscious on the floor. "No!" Ash cried as he saw one of his strongest Pokémon so badly hurt. Diantha immediately regretted her decision, but maintained her distance from the boy and his Pokémon. "Charizard..." he murmured. The Kanto starter type weakly lifted his head to Ash, allowing him to pat it gently. "It's time for you to take a good rest buddy." Charizard nodded, too weak to do anything else. Ash looked at Pikachu, who had its eyes filled with determination. It was going to take it down no matter what. Pikachu leaped off Ash's shoulder and let out a confident "Pika Pika!" as he entered the battlefield. Ash was sweating now. Diantha was able to down his Charizard in only two hits, which meant that Pikachu and Greninja would be finished in mere seconds if he did not act properly. Pikachu was nimble enough to dodge most of Gardevoir's attacks, but he remembered their first encounter with her and realized that if Gardevoir landed simply one hit, it would be over. Pikachu seemed to know this too, and it grimaced. Ash looked to Pikachu, and Pikachu looked to Ash. They both nodded at each other and readied themselves. Then, Pikachu sprang up and let loose a powerful Thunderbolt.


	59. The Final Battle

**Before we begin the third last chapter, I would like to acknowledge the song that will be used during this chapter. It is entitled "Ikou Ze!", which many of you know is the opening song for the Japanese anime of Pokémon XYZ. However, a youtuber by the name of Mark de Groot was kind enough to provide us fans with an English cover of the song. I will be using his song, so props to him. And now without further ado, let's get into the final battle.**

* * *

Pikachu released its stored up energy to produce a massive thunderbolt, and aimed it directly at Mega Gardevoir. Diantha's Pokémon was left unfazed, as it simply dodged the attack with minimal effort. Diantha quickly ordered several Shadow Ball at Pikachu to buy some time for Gardevoir to recharge and fire off Hyper Beam again. The shadowy globs were hurled at Pikachu with skillful accuracy, forcing Ash's loyal partner on the defensive. Pikachu was too quick to be struck directly by the incoming attacks, but one of the projectiles managed to graze one of its feet, causing Pikachu to stumble. The electric mouse managed to recover quickly, and it now awaited Ash's next order. "Use Quick Attack to get in close, and then use Electro-Ball on yourself!"

Remembering what they practiced, Pikachu took off at a blinding speed, easily closing the gap between the two battlers. Gardevoir, however, used its psychic power to detect where Pikachu would stop and it prepared to fire with a Hyper Beam. What it didn't know though was that Pikachu was not going to attack it just yet. Diantha then gave the order to fire, but just as Gardevoir fired, Pikachu leaped high into the air. The attack missed completely, and now, Gardevoir had to catch its breath. Pikachu was now above Gardevoir, and a crackling sphere of electricity was beginning to form behind it. Then, it hurled the projectile at itself, which did almost no damage, shocking both Diantha and Gardevoir. Ash, who was standing on the other side of the battlefield, flipped his cap around and shouted, "Tackle it and then use Electro-Tail!"

Pikachu landed safely on the ground and dashed at Gardevoir. The mega evolved Pokémon predicted the attack and dodged, but Pikachu merely smirked. "Pikaaaaaa-CHUUUU" it yelled as it performed a feint and tricked Gardevoir into dodging right into its body slam. Gardevoir yelped in pain from the effects of Pikachu's Electro Ball that it fired on itself, but couldn't recover in time, and consequently took a huge hit from Pikachu's combined Iron Tail and Electro Ball combo. Gardevoir was sent skidding backwards, clearly weakened, though not within KO range. Ash knew it was time. Once again he lifted his Mega Z ring and tapped on the Z crystal situated on the other end of the bracelet. He looked on with pride as Pikachu was engulfed in the Z power's distinctive aura. Pikachu and Ash did a fist pump, before the Pokémon ran up Ash's shoulder and onto his head. Then, he pushed off and leaped high into the air. Diantha suddenly grew wary. What were those two up to? It would be best to stay on the defensive this turn and then counter if they survived. "Use Protect," she said as Gardevoir set up the magical barrier. Meanwhile on the other side, Pikachu had summoned several peculiar orbs from out of nowhere. The orbs all entered into Pikachu, filling it with unimaginable power. Ash knew that this Z crystal was only a replica, so it did not allow the true power of a Z move, but this attack would surely hit hard. Knowing this, he did not hold back as he shouted, "10 000 000 Volts!"

Pikachu cried a mighty "PIKA-CHUUUUUU!" as it released the enormous attack. The super charged Thunderbolt tore through the entire stadium, causing the remaining walls and even the ceiling to shatter, collapse, and come crumbling down as an enormous explosion followed. The smoke and debris settled shortly after, revealing a panting Gardevoir on its knee. It was able to block most of the attack, but at some undefined point the Protect was disintegrated and the attack tore through. However, Gardevoir's health was restored instantly when Diantha sprayed it with a Full Restore. Ash took a step back in fear. Pikachu had used a lot of its energy to use the Z move, and even Ash felt drained. The raven haired trainer recalled that Professor Sycamore had warned them that if they used Pikachu's Z move as well as Greninja's Synchro Evolution, Ash could potentially faint from exhaustion. Nevertheless, he had to try.

"Gardevoir, use Psychic! Then use Hyper Beam!"

Gardevoir emitted a faint pink glow from its eyes, shackling Pikachu in place and rendering it defenseless. Then, it released a fully powered Hyper Beam, which was now Fairy Type because of Pixilate, sending Pikachu flying back, swirly eyes present. Ash luckily broke its fall and caught his partner. "Pikachu no..." he whispered. The electric mouse opened its eyes slightly and let out a faint "Pika Pika..." Then, it weakly raised its dirtied paw and turned it into a fist, before its eyes closed and it left consciousness.

Meanwhile on the other side, Diantha was deep in thought. "He only has his Greninja left, but that will be a challenge. If it weren't for Team Rocket intervening, we would've lost to it. I can't use Psychic to hold it in place either, and Shadow Ball isn't very effective..." she thought to herself. Sweat started to form on her brow as she continued to analyze their situation. By now Ash had returned Pikachu to the side of what was left of the stadium and let out his Greninja. The two were discussing their battle strategy as well. Then, they returned to the battlefield. Ash looked to Diantha, his eyes filled with determination. "No holding back this time. We're giving it all we got! Greninja, let's get stronger together!" Both trainer and Pokémon raised their arm into the air and began the transformation. A vortex of swirling water was all that could be seen as Ash-Greninja appeared. "Night Slash!" Ash yelled. Gardevoir was not prepared to counter and was knocked backwards as Greninja swung the blade and struck it in the chest.

 _Hey, just like the morning star that's shining brightly over Kalos_

 _Our hearts are hotter than a Flame Charge!_

 _Yeah! We're all prepared and so you'll never see us run from chaos_

 _Breaking the mold will let our passion Discharge!_

Greninja and Ash moved in unison, blocking, slashing and countering with almost perfect timing. Diantha and her Gardevoir were thrown off guard by how quickly and accurately their attacks were. Greninja was able to chain moves perfectly, sending Gardevoir into a wall.

 _All of our feelings overlap, yeah we are always synchronized_

 _Cause we have formed a bond that will never disappear_

 _And I know that I will never shed a tear_

 _As long as you're here_

Ash and Greninja continued their assault, hurling several relentless Water Shurikens and going in close with Night Slash and Aerial Ace. Gardevoir was able to quickly regain confidence as it gracefully evaded almost all of Greninja's attacks. Then, it struck its opponent in the gut with another Pixilate Hyper Beam, sending Greninja crashing into the ground.

 _So let'Z go, we're growing as the battle's raging on_

 _And you know! that defeat's an opportunity!_

 _To grow, we're never giving up_

 _Our determination is what makes us strong!_

Greninja struggled to get up, crippled by the super effective hit.

 _Let'Z go! And if there's a fight that we can't seem to win_

 _Yeah Let'Z go! I know that you will be there for me_

 _Let'Z go! You'll always have my back_

 _With our strength combined we'll deal the last attack!_

Summoning all of its strength left in it, it held its back Shuriken high in the air and let out a mighty cry. Water swirled in a torrent around it and condensed into the giant golden Water Shuriken it had used in the League. Ash, exhausted but determined, yelled out at the top of his lungs. "This is what we're made of! Water Shuriken!" Greninja let go of the massive projectile, hurling it right into Diantha's mega evolved Pokémon. A huge explosion occurred. However, as the smoke cleared, Greninja's legs buckled and it slumped to the ground, reverting to its normal form. Gardevoir was down to minimal health, but it was still alive. Just as Diantha was about to call it defeat, Greninja stood up and cried "GRENIN-JA!"

Alarmed, Diantha tried to get her Pokémon to use Hyper Beam, but Greninja had already summoned a giant Water Shuriken from his back. Ash was shocked. Greninja had used the Ash-Greninja Shuriken without even transforming! On top of that, it tore through Gardevoir's defenses and sent it falling to the lower levels of the entrance hall, leaving a massive crater in the process. Needless to say, it was a KO. Meanwhile on the top level of the stadium, Greninja looked back to Ash, who was also in the same exhausted state. The two nodded and hugged, before holding each other up to meet the dethroned Champion. Diantha walked to the center of the stadium. "I tried my best, and didn't hold back. All of my Pokémon are unable to battle; the winner and new Champion of Kalos is Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town!"


	60. A New Beginning

Ash was exhausted. The battle with Diantha had taken its toll on him in various forms, from sharing his power with Pikachu to allow it to use its Z move, to giving all of his energy to help Greninja transform in the final section of their battle. Though he was too tired to continue, his Greninja managed to pull through, using its own power to conjure up a giant Water Shuriken to end Diantha's reign as champion. Ash was as proud as ever; he had finally won the Pokemon League and become Pokemon Champion! His Pokemon all put their very best foot ahead of them when they battled, allowing Ash to use them to their fullest potential. Even Diantha was impressed. Ash's Pokemon seemed to mirror their trainer's determination during battle, giving them an edge in combat, which was well observed by the Kalos Champion. Slowly, she extended her hand, waiting for Ash to take her hand. The raven haired trainer raised his tired arm and shook her hand. "Congratulations on becoming the Champion, Ash!" she said excitedly. The former Champion was very proud of Ash. She had seen him battle when he first came to Kalos, and ever since, she knew deep inside that he would one day surpass her. It was surprising to her that he could overtake her so quickly, but Ash was Ash. Suddenly, both trainers turned to see the stadium doors fling open. Serena and Bonnie burst through and dashed toward Ash. Clemont followed close behind, a look of admiration on his face. Bonnie tackled Ash in a hug, before getting out of the way as Serena jumped on him, knocking both of them down and sending them rolling onto the floor. Serena pressed her lips to Ash's and the two kissed. Clemont averted his gaze, embarrassed, while Bonnie laughed and pointed fingers. Diantha chuckled as she watched the two. Suddenly aware of their surroundings, Serena yelped and got off of Ash, embarrassed, but she still maintained a gentle grip on her raven haired trainer. "Congratulations!" she squealed.

"Your trust in your Pokemon was well-placed, Ash. Good job on your battle and congratulations on your win!" Clemont added. Bonnie then chimed in. "You were so awesome out there Ash! You too Greninja!" The Kalos starter raised his arm to acknowledge that it heard her, before being returned into its Pokball by Ash. The four friends then engaged in a long chatter about Ash's strategies, his Pokemon, and his execution of combination attacks. Finally, after a long while, Diantha stepped in and interrupted them. "Ash? You are also going to be referred to the Kalos King, now. Given that Serena is your girlfriend, and she is the Kalos Queen, it would only fit." Ash wrapped his arm around Serena and pulled her in close; Serena was beaming. "There is only one thing left to do before the awards ceremony. Please come with me Ash, Serena," Diantha finished. Confused, the couple proceeded to follow, leaving Bonnie and Clemont to their usual arguing. The faint sounds of "It's not a Tyruntum, it's a Tyrantrum!" could be heard as the couple and Diantha entered a small passageway. On the sides of the passage were the portraits of past Champions and their Pokemon teams, the latest of them being a eleven year old Diantha. Amazed, Ash glanced around the room, before setting his gaze on a strange looking structure in front of them. Diantha then turned to Ash. "Here, the memory of you and your Pokemon will be recorded here for many years to come. Ash Ketchum, Serena Yvonne, please place your Pokeballs on the pedestal. Ash went first, placing his six Pokemon that won him the Pokemon Leauge onto the pedestal, followed by Serena, who carefully placed her own Pokemon beside Ash's. Diantha then pronounced them "The First Kalos Royals to ever be recorded in the Hall of Fame." The screen hanging above them lit up, showing the images of their Pokemon, as well as themselves, on the screen. Ash and Serena stood hand in hand as the coronation finished. Diantha spoke up. "This is only the beginning you know. You still have the ceremony in a few hours. The celebration will be recorded live and will be streamed all over the Kalos region, so there's no backing out!" she winked. Ash sighed internally. After all these years participating in the Leagues, he hadn't gotten over his hatred of publicity. Well, hatred was a strong word. The newly dubbed royal couple exited the chamber to return to the entrance hall, where Clemont and Bonnie were waiting for them. Unsurprisingly, they were still fighting.

* * *

As the group said their goodbyes to Diantha, they headed off to the nearest Pokemon Center. The ceremony was to be held in Serena's hometown, Vaniville, so the group decided to rent a few Ride Pokemon that would fly them over to the town, as Ash wanted to let his Pokemon rest after their battle. It wasn't long before they found the Pokemon Center and obtained several Charizard to bring them to Vaniville. The four of them made it there in no time, saying their goodbyes to the Charizard that helped them and proceeding to spend the rest of the afternoon at Serena's home. Ash, in particular was nervous. How would Grace react to all of this? Serena seemed to notice this, and she gently squeezed his hand. "It'll be all right Ash. My mom would love you!"

"Whatever you say Serena..." Ash murmured as he looked down at the ground. What would happen if Grace didn't approve? The questions in his mind continued to bombard him until they reached Serena's home.

"Here we are!" she said excitedly.  
Grace appeared several seconds later, politely greeting them and bringing them in. "Serena, my Kalos Queen, how have you been?"

"I'm fine Mom, but your'e squishing me to death!"

"Oh, whoops. Sorry! Anyway, how have you been? It's been a while since I've seen you all. Ash, have you beaten the Kalos Champion Diantha yet? And you, Clemont, have you been taking care of these two lovebirds?" Both Serena and Ash were shocked. "What?!" they shouted in unison.

"I may have gotten a little help. Bonnie knows your phone password Serena. I know exactly what you've been doing. No worries though. I approve! You two look very nice together."

Both Ash and Serena chuckled nervously, a blush slowly forming on their cheeks. Suddenly an alarm rang as the food that Grace was preparing started to burn. "Oh dear, I must go take that stew off the burner. Hang on Serena for just a minute?" she said before scurrying off to the kitchen. Clemont and Bonnie were unusually silent for the whole time they were in the Yvonne residence, which confused Serena. She turned to them and asked if something was wrong. Clemont and Bonnie turned to the couple, a look of sadness on their faces. "We're sorry Ash, Serena. I've just received word that my gym has been the target of several independent Zygarde roots. They apparently can function without the megalith, and Blaziken Mask needs our help. They've sent a small helicopter to pick us up, and they'll be here right after the ceremony."

Ash looked at the two silently. He knew that one day, whether he win or not, they would have to part way. He just wished it wouldn't be this early. Serena was also saddened at the thought of leaving two of her closest friends. Bonnie in particular was upset. She had seen all of them as a big family, that trusted each other and relied on each other for support. Sobbing, she slowly opened her hand, revealing several bracelets that each read "Forever XYZ." "I made these back when we discovered the tablets. I heard around the local towns that our family was known as XYZ trainers, so I just thought it would be nice to make one for each of us. I hope you'll be able to remember us through them." Just then Grace returned, only to find the friends in a big group hug, crying. Smiling softly, she left the room, giving the four some privacy.

* * *

After the ceremony, Clemont and Bonnie said their final goodbyes to the Kalos Royals. It was a sad time for all of them, but like Bonnie said, they knew they would see each other again. Ash and Serena were left with one last option: packing for the trip to Alola. The couple returned to Serena's home and packed their belongings. The next day, after saying their goodbyes to Grace, they boarded the plane and flew off, their next destination: Alola. During this time, Ash took his time to reflect on his journey. He had finally achieved everything he had wanted to achieve, and he even had Serena with him now. The honey haired girl was now sleeping on his shoulder, exhausted after waking up so early. In her lap lay her tablet, which had the assignment that was given to Ash since he was the new Champion. Curious, Ash picked it up. "She must've tried to give it to me earlier but forgot too because of today's packed schedule," he thought. The email read the following: Ash Ketchum, Champion of Kalos, we are most grateful to you for accepting our assignment for you. As you know, e you are now Champion, and since you have had such high accolades behind your back, we believe that you are the most capable regional Champion to bring Pokemon Leagues to Alola. We know it is a huge task for you, but we know that you are capable enough. We hope to see you in Hau'oli City when you arrive."

Signed,

The Pokemon League Committee

Smiling to himself, Ash looked out the window. The sea was an amber hue, reminding him of his past travels. Looking out, he thought to himself. "Today's a new beginning. I've finally accomplished everything I wanted to, and now, I can finally take my next step in becoming a Pokemon Master. And with Serena with me, I know we can do anything."


End file.
